


It happened in Paris

by GrownishZuca



Category: Grownish
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-05
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2020-06-09 21:17:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 36,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19484215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GrownishZuca/pseuds/GrownishZuca
Summary: What happens when Zoey Johnson and Luca Jae Hall suddenly find themselves at the same fashion internship in Paris after a year apart? What happens when the only person that can and did hurt you the most is your ultimate hearts desire? Just read the story, I’m bad at summaries.





	1. Chapter 1

PROLOGUE

It was a breezy and calm summer day in Paris, Zoey Johnson sat enjoying some very delicious home made pastries in a cozy cafe, she is totally betting herself this will be her regular go to place for the duration of her time here. It was small, but homey with some of the best scenery she’s ever experienced. The small shop overlooks a green lit riverbank, with the image of the famous Parisian Eiffle tower just straight ahead, so prominent one would swear if they reached out, they could touch it. This is what she envisions when the word serenity comes to mind. 

The yearly summer fashion internship in Paris was offered to her right before the end of her Junior year in college and she could not say “yes!” fast enough. After passing on the exact same opportunity last year, she couldn’t have been more grateful. It was rare to get an opportunity like this, it was one of those once in a lifetime opportunities, and she was lucky enough to have been offered this once before let alone twice within two years? Surreal. she’s still not sure she believes in the existence of “God” but if there is in fact a higher power up there that granted her this immense luck, she was grateful. She sat in her cozy corner, overlooking the gorgeous riverbank, lost in thought, she drifts away...

*****

Oh Paris! I have dreamt of being here for far too long, a whole year wasted on the road not taken later, I finally made it. The fashion capital of the world, this is a long way from home but why does it feel like I am finally home? for the first time in my life, I finally feel like I belong somewhere and it just fits. My parents have worked hard to afford me and my four siblings a well rounded life filled with love and luxury, and among those luxuries is the ability to travel the world and explore all the amazing beauty it had to offer. I have been to many places and each one holds a dear memory, but the one place I had neglected for far too long was Paris.

My family have taken uncountable trips to Paris but I somehow always missed out. Something else just always seemed much more important, whether it’d be my preference for the fashion summer camp with my friends or something else I deemed more important, I never made Paris a priority. Not because I didn’t want to be in Paris, if I’m Being honest, it’s probably the one place I always subconsciously knew once I let myself truly explore I would never want to leave. So, something else always came first, because Paris I knew would always be there, I could take my time going there when I was ready and it was finally time

I finally made it here, all on my own by the way, which I am totally proud of, this trip was neither suggested nor funded by anyone but me. I got this opportunity, not with the help of my parents or someone else I knew, it was all thanks to my natural talents at being a “go getter headass”. It took a while to get there, but I have finally grown and accepted that when I truly put my mind to something, there’s very little I can’t accomplish. plus that immense luck at life doesn’t hurt. At least that’s what Luca always use to say.. Luca....

*****

Zoey smiles softly and fondly to herself at the memory of her unforgettable if not one of a kind ex Luca Jae Hall. Realizing the direction her often times overactive imagination was headed, She quickly shakes herself out of her trance and back to reality. Thinking about Luca and all that has transpired between them is one giant can of worm she couldn’t afford to open up. 

No! Zoey, No! Se mentally scolds herself. The past will have to stay in the past with no more regrets, that was her motto now. She came to Paris to live her dream and dammit, she will succeed at it at all cost. She has way too much is riding on this, her mental stability for example. She’s worked hard and paid her dues, it was time to finally make things right. Mind body and soul, this internship will be her only focus for the foreseeable future. 

Zoey got up, smiled at the very welcoming and nice elderly lady at the counter before paying for her pastry and latte.

“Merci”

She said before signaling for her to keep the change and headed out to her nicely decorated studio style upscale apartment just a few blocks down the road. She needed to get her beauty rest tonight because tomorrow marks the beginning of a thrilling new journey and she can’t afford any mishaps. Not this time. Suddenly, a wave of nausea blew through her like the wind on a very cold night. She realized, she is feeling very unsettled suddenly

That was weird, she thought, until this very moment she’d been slightly anxious mixed with a lot of excited but never nervous. She shakes it off, concluding it must have just been the normal fright of the upcoming first day. No pressure, nothing could possibly go wrong, it’ll be fine.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Luca Hall is dreading tomorrow, he takes a very loud audible sigh, not only has he been chosen to mentor yet another incoming intern, which he is certain it’s safe to assume is yet another incompetent, spoiled and rich Malibu Barbie who thinks just because she’s rich and can influence a certain group of people into wearing what she deems appropriate, she’s suddenly a creative geniusand a talented fashion designer. 

He usually ends up training them from point A to Z all by himself anyway, and even then he looses brain cells every hour he spends around those types, but he is “the best”, that’s what they all say. It is certainly no pressure on him and his “genius”, not at all.

Truth be told, he is extremely talented, it’s not arrogance if it’s true and that much cannot be taken away from him, it’s just an amiable fact, which he’ll gladly boast to whomever needs to hear it. At the end of it all, somethings are just true. He can be a bit contradictory of himself he’s realized, because, there are times he truly wishes someone took notice *like her*, of how overwhelming the praise can get sometimes. creativity feeds his soul, it is his passion, and he enjoys it immensely but there are times he would like his immense talent to go understated. He would enjoy being regarded to as a person and not a robot that’s perfected the art of designing. No one seems to care about that though and since Luca is not one to outwardly complain it never stops.

Tomorrow is another day, he plans to meet, greet, introduce himself to this intern and get the hell out of there. He’ll get better acquainted with the new intern at his own pace. Maybe if he weren’t always so dependable and reliable, they’ll look elsewhere among his peers for another candidate qualified enough to mentor the newbies. Besides that, he knows a few talented ladies and gents in the program that deserve some recognition and opportunities as well, he’s handed so much responsibility so frequently, one would think he was his boss’ boss. It’s only fair and if someone else takes over the spotlight, he gets a break, maybe.

Luca steps back into his extremely spacious loft from the porch overlooking a green lit riverbank, with the image of the famous Eiffle tower just straight ahead, he was awarded this home six months ago, it was approximately six months into the program. His body of work far exceeded even the highest of their executive director’s expectations. His brilliance was to be awarded he was told, not only for being the best in the program, but as compensation for all his extra curricular activities within the institution, such as unpaid mentorship.

Luca thought it was a fair trade at the time but now, maybe not. He is not so sure about much of anything these days. There is a feeling, a warmth his body use to know he can no longer feel. He can feel himself slipping away from who he thought he was and who he is shaping up to be. Here he is in this huge loft style apartment, he barely gets to enjoy anything as a 21 years old young man, he spends the majority of everyday turning in assignments and when he is not, he is busy helping others with theirs.

Truth be told, he hasn’t gotten to do much of anything fun since he got back to Paris a year ago after the incident. He’s certainly no stranger to Paris, this is home afterall, but a year ago, the distraction only working here could afford him was what he needed. So when he was informed a spot he previously gave up was back open, he latched on and didn’t look back. Paris just seemed like the only option for him at the time. He couldn’t stay at Cal U, he couldn’t be around her and not be with her, that wasn’t something he could manage.

She had a way of making him want to do nothing but envision a future in which he only existed to make her happy. He saw her and nothing else he thought he knew mattered, he would gladly risk it all for her, he just wanted to make Zoey happy, that was his aligned purpose. That was all he cared about. 

He’s been with his fair share of women, in fact, he’s been with a lot of people’s fair share of women and he enjoyed his time with them all but with Zoey, as cliche as it sounds, it was different. He always felt settled, done for, he felt no need to look further or elsewhere because he finally got to his destination, he believed that strongly. 

He felt lucky, considering how broken his home life was growing up, he believed he was extremely favored, and unlike her, he believes God is very real and her existence in his life alone is proof enough of it. It’s mad corny he thought but she made him that way and he was okay with it. To have found what others spent probably their whole lives searching for at only 18yrs old and recognizing it, he felt pretty damn lucky.

He never actually told her that though, he just internally vowed to himself to always take care of her and to do his possible best to never be a reason or part of a reason no matter how minuscule it might be of anything that could cause her unhappiness. She was his queen, she made him want to be better. He thrives to be the better guy as much as he could but with his exes it never came easy, then came Zoey Johnson. He understood the difference once he met and knew her, it was never easy with them because it wasn’t right.

With Zoey, it was a no brainer, he was contempt making her the center of his universe and that he learned was no good for him, he learned that the hard way. It’s never a easy pill to swallow when you realize you love someone more than they love you. What made him happy at all times was her, but what made her happy was unfortunately not him.

Luca sluggishly made his way into his bedroom to get ready for bed, in preparation for the big day tomorrow *he rolls his eyes*

“Man I gotta get a fucking life!” He groans into his pillow, knowing tomorrow was another day and he couldn’t be less excited.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DAY 1... to be continued...


	2. Chapter 2

Zoey clumsily drags herself out of bed at the raging sound of that darn alarm. At the feel of her legs bumping into her bedside table, “F%#k!!” She exclaims grouchily. She can’t stand that darn thing, but knows it’s the only type of alarm that’s guaranteed to get the job done. She needs this alarm desperately, she’s been known to sleep through the worst earthquakes, this is exactly the level of aggressiveness that can get her up on time. Begrudgingly, she can’t part ways with it, obnoxious noise and all. The noise that comes out of that thing rivals the bells of Notre dame and it honestly trashes her mood so early in the mornings but it gets the job done.

“Shit!” Zoey suddenly remembers she has to meet up with Eric or as he likes to refer to himself, Errique, because apparently as he so sassily puts it, he’s “en France” and will live accordingly. Zoey’s only known Eric for about a week but it feels like they’ve been besties forever. Eric is a lovable young soul who has accomplished so much in such a short amount of time. So gracefully too, Zoey aspires to accomplish much of her career goals as brilliantly as Eric seems to have done with his. It helps that they are both so in tune in the language of fashion, they are true soul sisters.

Eric is the fashion editor of Rogue, a French owned fashion magazine with a brand new extended headquarter in Los Angeles. He will be based permanently in Paris as he was before but he will now have to prioritize a minimum of two travels a year over to Los Angeles. They of course met on the flight in from Los Angeles to Paris. While seated next to each other, Zoey caught a glimpse of his work on some very impressive fashion magazine editorials, which she later found out is a huge opening catalog, coming up in the next few months for his company’s launching of their brand new bonus offices and headquarter.

Zoey introduced herself, they had so much in common and got along so well and the rest is best friends forever history. They both decided it was fate and they were meant to meet and be best friends forever. It all naturally happened in the mists of their uncontrollable giggles while sharing stories and bonding during their flight. For Zoey, she was doubly ecstatic because she not only made a new friend, she had someone in Paris to maneuver this journey with. She wouldn’t have to do this alone after all and Eric could show her the city in all it’s beautiful glory. It was perfect.

*****  
Zoey opens the door to her favorite cozy Cafe, it’s slightly busier in here on Monday mornings and yet, it doesn’t lose it’s warmth. She spots Eric ahead at their usual table. She beams at him with a quick and goofy wave, she’s always genuinely happy to see her current favorite person and only friend if she keeps it real. She walks towards the counter to place her order before turning around making her way towards their table.

The next thing she felt was a huge thud and bump to her head. Zoey bumps into what she can only assume is a rock stuffed into someone’s shoulder pads disguised as their literal shoulder and for the next few seconds with eyes closed shut, all she could feel or hear was a loud ringing and she was screaming “ouch!!” internally. Once she felt a bit more stable, she opens her eyes and the jerk had disappeared.

He was so hurried he never even acknowledged her, before she could look up to his face to scold him accordingly and or to accept her very much deserved genuine apology depending on how he wanted to play it, the stranger with no apparent remorse or manners, like the speed of light, flashed away. Leaving behind a very peculiar and lingering scent.

It smelled like a mixture of John Vervatos and Louis Vuitton men’s fragrance with a dash of smokes. Call her crazy but there was only one man she knows that smells like that. She’d know his scent anywhere! She spins around crazily trying desperately to catch any glimpse of this person she could, but she got nothing. All she managed to do was almost crash into a perfectly annoyed lady trying to get to the coffee tray. At that point, she knew she needed to go take her seat.

“Pardon” she says apologetically to the unamused stranger. She trails sluggishly toward her seat, deep in thought, “I just can’t shake this dude can I? I’m loosing it.” She whispers out loud to herself.

*****  
Eric lights up upon spotting Zoey walking towards him in one of the best fits he has seen in a long time if he does say so himself. He’ll admit to his bias though considering he helped pick it out last weekend while on their new job, new attire shopping spree. Zoey was striking in her red Burberry pant suit which she matched with her favorite pair of blue Louboutin pumps, hair slicked back in a neat ponytail, her beauty remains unmatched.

“It’s a bit early to start talking to yourself in public isn’t it? careful or people might think you’re a crazy lady.” He gives her a questioning smile, “you okay babe? You wants some coffee? I need you fully alert and present to slay this day you know.”

Zoey snapped out of her trance at the sound of his voice, she gives him one of her famous breathy and soft laughs and shakes her head at his attempt at humor. However, she is fully aware his humor is a mask for a very serious concern. She leaned over and placed a loving kiss on both his cheeks before taking her seat.

“Good morning.” With a confused smile on her face, she says, “You’re probably going to think I’m losing my mind if I told you what I was just thinking about, so I think it’s best I don’t.” Chuckling nervously.

Fully aware there was a sudden change between the Zoey that waved at him at the door when she arrived versus the Zoey currently sitting opposite him, he says, “try me.”

She outwardly laughs at herself, before continuing on, “Nah, don’t want to chance it.” She chuckles nervously yet again, “I will say though, I am perfectly awake and all ready to knock this day out.”

She took a pause and then cringed a bit, “Now that I think about it, I do wish this wave of nauseousness I’m experiencing would go away. It started last night and won’t stop, I’m really worried it might mean something.”

She looks to Eric for confirmation she doesn’t actually look as crazy as she’s starting to feel. “I usually don’t believe in all that spiritual Mumbo jumbo crap but what if it means something? You don’t think it’s a sign of some bad omen on this day do you?”

Eric is fully looking at her like she’s got something stuck between her teeth at this point. “You’re starting a new internship at a very prestigious institution, with a bunch of new people you’ve never met before, nerves is completely normal.”

Extending a comforting hand grabbing on to hold hers. “We’re talking about the largest art institute in this country, there is nothing spiritual about being nervous about your first day at Expression. It’s reasonable that you’d be crazy nervous. I’m actually surprised you’ve been so calm this whole week considering how spastic you can get.” He jokes, “I mean I learned that about you within 30 minutes of meeting ya.” nudging at her to lighten the mood and to ease her fears.

Zoey takes a deep breath, nods calmly and agrees, “you’re probably right, I guess it’s all just hitting me that this is really happening.”

She sits up a bit, bit hard into her bottom lip, a nervous habit of hers, then leaned forward, before continuing on, “I’ve spent the better part of the last year beating myself up over things I cannot change and can’t control, and I’ve felt so out of control.” Her voice breaks a bit, “With this internship, it was the perfect opportunity to make up for all of that and a real chance to finally take control of my life again.”

She looks away, her eyes a bit misty, “I just can’t afford to mess this up again, I don’t want to, I couldn’t bear it.”

“Sweetie, it’s going to be fine, go have a great day, you’ll get in there, with all the reasons you just stated being your guide, and knock this out. You got this! The universe have spoken!” Eric goofily takes a Superman pose, she laughs. His energy and conviction perked her up a bit, I can so do this she thought.

Zoey fully feeling the support, gets up, slightly more energized, “I should get going actually, you can never be too early on your first day of a life changing opportunity.”

He nods in agreement “Good luck babe.” He calls after her.

She winked back with a smile ready to take on the world, come what may. She pays for her order on her way out, taking it with her to go with a determination not to let this eerie feeling get the best of her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Luca steps into his favorite little pastry shop on his way in to work, he’s not at all excited about this day but this little shop always did make his day slightly more bearable with the best treats. He loves it here, the smell, the food and the people, they are always so kind and accommodating. Especially little old lady Betsy.

She knows how to make him smile, she makes his treats with special sprinkles of happiness in a specially packaged and ready for pick up box. Whether or not she is present, he is always at ease here and this morning she is visibly absent. She is an elderly lady that needs her rest on most days, so he’s never too worried when she doesn’t come in. Her absence this morning is too bad though, because she gave the best advise. He could use one of her pep talks right about now.

He couldn’t have survived his first 3 months back if it weren’t for sweet old lady Betsy. She has become the Grandmother he never had, he never actually grew up with a good image of one. His real grandmother Grammy as she’s called, was a boozy and verbally abusive alcoholic, but people stayed around her always because she was a wealthy boozy abusive alcoholic. She has the kind of loyalty from people, a list that included his father, only money can afford you.

She was called Grammy not because it was a cute nickname for a sweet elderly woman, she was called that because she was the most generous at giving prizes and she was always flamboyant with her money. That was her only good quality according to the ramblings he’s heard of her over the years. Luca has no use for her gifts, however, he’d be lying if he didn’t recognize the privilege being her grandson held. He does benefit from her wealth along with the rest of the Hall family.

Sweet Old Lady Betsy is different though, she was warm, she didn’t have money to offer Luca but she had time, heart and comfort in abundance and she gave it generously. For her, he was always grateful, she was a breath of fresh air. He would turn to his mother but she’s always too wrapped up in whatever new issue his father’s caused this week or the next, there was always a problem. Unfortunately he was never great at making friends, he didn’t do them but Old lady Betsy is more than an elderly advisor, she is his friend he’d like to think. She is the only reason Luca still holds on to the dream of home and family after everything he’s been through on the matter. She refuses to let him experience life jaded.

He remembered the first day he came into her little bakery slash cafe slash everything cozy and homey for the first time, she immediately felt like peace personified, he felt right at home, he felt like he belonged. The spirit of this space, made him never want to leave and he knew he would make this his permanent spot for as long as he was here.

Old lady Betsy took notice of his sad eyes the moment she laid her eyes on him or as she called them “yeux tristes”, she said nothing new or ground breaking that day but it was somehow what he needed to hear. She said to him, “it gets easier my son, nothing lasts forever, this too shall pass.”

Cafe l'amour règne has now become his home away from the loft, not even the lavish lab at Expression made him feel this at ease as much as he loves creating in it. This shop is his sanctuary, featuring a very sacred bay window overlooking the riverbank, he was drawn to that section from day one and it became his personal space in here. A lot of his creative ideas where formulated sitting in that bay window, he’s finished many assignments there too.

No one else sits in that particular corner but it was most likely because they had no idea they were allowed in that particular spot for sitting. That or they just figured it was old lady Betsy grandson’s corner. Strangers rarely visit here, most people that sit in live around here, they are mostly regulars. Everyone casually knew everyone it seemed.

He happily eyed his specially made box of pastries packaged and ready for him to go, when it suddenly hit him, he’s missing something. His orientation folder, he left it back at the loft. “Shit!” Without his curriculum folder, he might as well not show up to work.

He has no choice, he has to go back home to grab his folder. Sure he wasn’t excited but it doesn’t mean he wants his mentees first impression of him to be that of a incompetent and forgetful mentor. Besides, there is no point in showing up for his orientation meeting with this new intern for their first day without those syllabus like documents. He purposefully asked not to be told the interns name or identity prior because he didn’t want to resent a potentially nice person before meeting them. A lot of good that did. He turned around hurriedly, dashing out of the cafe to go retrieve the folder, hoping to avoid being tardy for this first meeting.

As much as Luca would enjoy purposefully rebelling and fumbling on this assignment just to get the attention away from himself and focused on someone else, he is just not naturally wired to be irresponsible when it comes to his job. Life in general he could be completely nonchalant about, but not the reputation of his career, and a little part of him doesn’t want to be the reason that poor intern leaves the first day on the job scarred and discouraged. UGH! he has turned into a sap with all this caring for others, he blames that sweet old lady for this.

Entirely too deep in thought while rushing out, his shoulder bumped into something or was it someone? maybe a wall? he wasn’t sure, but it was a hard hit. He couldn’t worry about that right now though, he had time to meet up with and he couldn’t afford to stop to find out. He sprinted toward his building, which is a few blocks way down the street, hoping to meet up on time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If the French is off, I apologize as I am just winging it, it’s not my language.


	3. Chapter 3

Walking into Expression never ceases to amaze Luca. The energy here is thrilling, it gave him a different kind of high. If he’s being fair, that might just be because Paris weed is trash, but still, it’s an unbeatable feeling.

The moment anyone walks into this side of the institution, they are greeted by Cecil at the front dest. Cecil is a native Parisian but she was raised briefly in New York, her accent is not as thick when speaking English but it is notably present.

She is the ever flirty receptionist in the front office. She’s not a gross flirt he should probably clarify, she’s just a very charming, fun and harmless lady. No one gets the interns out of a sticky situation and fast like Cecil, plus she knows all the hot spots in town, she’s a walking talking 411 page.

“Good morning mr. Hall, how was your weekend?” Cecil perkily greets Luca, as soon as she saw him stepping in. “Your 8pm appointment is here and she has been waiting a while.” She smiles lightheartedly.

“Morning Cecil, you will stop with the patronizing mr. Hall one of these days won’t you?” Luca asks, amused, feeling his morning brightening up already.

“Nope!” She says with a purposeful pop to her p as she does when she teases him.

“Fine, you’ll wear yourself out one of these days.” He laughs, playfully shakes his head at her before nodding towards the waiting room. “The new intern’s been here a while huh? Wait..” he takes a pause before realigning his thoughts, “Am I that late?” He looks around slightly concerned.

“No actually, you’re right on time. She’s just a prompt one.” She amusingly smiles before gathering her paperwork for the day.

“If I’m not late and she’s been here a while then that’s certainly different. I guess they did break the mold.” He chuckles.

“Well, mr Chatty Cathy, if you don’t head in there now, you might actually be late.” She muses distractedly, still focused on her paper work.

“Fine” He sighs, “I’ll go in there” he says, yet he stands still in front of her desk, unmoving.

Cecil, finally done rearranging her pile of papers puts her focus back on him, “um is it just me or are you really dragging your feet on this one?” Her concern for him becoming apparent.

“When you met her, what was she like?” Luca carried on with a question of his own completely ignoring hers.

“Okay, that answers my question, I guess you are dragging your feet on this one.” She leans back on her chair, giving him her complete and undivided attention.

“I’m curious as to why? I’ve never known you to shy away from an intern, heck I’ve never known you to shy away from anyone. Let alone someone you’ve never met. What’s going on?” She challenges him with her eyes.

“I don’t know man, I deadass can’t explain what’s been going on with me for a while now.” He leans towards the direction of the lab, deciding he needs to wrap this sudden need for over sharing this early on a Monday morning up.

She looks at him softly, waiting for his usual brush off, “I’ve noticed” with her eyebrows raised at him she continues on teasingly, “does mr. Jae Hall have girl problems?” She wiggles her brows teasingly trying to hold in her chuckle.

Noticing his confused look back at her, “hey, no judgement zone here remember? If you wanna talk, I’m all ears but you do have to tell people your problems before they can help you or in any case, give you sound advise.”

Her voice softening up a bit more seriously now, “I can’t help if I don’t know.”

“Girl problem? Nahhh..” now it was his turn to chuckle amusingly, and he did until he trails off in thought, “I wish” he quietly says.

“Well that could also be the problem, maybe you have a no girl kinda girl problem? Hmm?” She continues on with her teasing.

His expression falls completely and she realizes she’s finally cracked the code, “Oh” she said suddenly baffled, “But how? I mean have you seen you?”

“Yeah, I really need to go focus on work now.” He hurriedly walks off, not at all ready to talk about the fact that even though he’s been trying to deny it to himself, the warmth he’s been missing had a lot more to do with lack of meaningful sexual encounter these last few months.

After his first few weeks back in Paris a year ago, he dabbled in a few meaningless sexual encounters, it was what he needed, and it worked for him at the time. Eventually, he couldn’t mask his pain in meaningless encounters anymore, it felt too empty. He realized every time he woke up from one, his problems still plagued him so what was the point? He couldn’t escape or exercise this demon no matter how hard he tried.

He had to face his demons head on and with the help of a sweet old lady, who lent him a very patient ear and shoulder to lean on, he finally found it easy to open up to somebody. They had some of the most intense talks he had ever experienced with Old lady Betsy, some talks were more effective than others, some days felt better than others, one thing was for certain, life got easier with time.

With their talks, he was able to decipher the rightful solutions to the problem. It’s never really over but he does his best and sticks to what works best for him on this never ending journey to forget. But can you really ever forget someone that had that much impact on your life? He’s no expert but he’d guess, probably not.

“We are not done here MR!” Cecil’s voice trails after him as he walks off.

“Oh yes we are!” Yeah, not today, he had an intern to deal with.

*****  
Welcome to Expression, where you find top of the line original art pieces on every wall, around here, that makes the matter of security a big freaking deal. The walls of the cathedral like halls are vibrant, full of light and colorful.

Everyone knew Cecil was not someone to play with, she might play around with the likes of him and others that commemorate here, but she is a very vigilant secretary. She is excellent at her job and she does it like no other. Once you’ve successfully gotten past Cecil, then you’re home free. You’re then allowed into the side of the building that takes your breath away with so much spectacles.

Expression might as well be a top of the line museum for all things art and fashion. Walking down the halls leading into the labs, you immediately sense the immense energy of this place, it’s brilliance. The lab is always buzzing with so many talented and eager young creatives ready to work. This place inspires and drives focus, it makes you want to do more than necessary sometimes.

That was the case only for the successful students in this program, not so much for the ones that bailed or couldn’t wait to leave because it was to demanding and they couldn’t handle the pressure. Not everyone qualified to experience the Crystal lab and that’s why it is reserved for only the institutions top rated students and of course the interns.

He’s finally reached his destination, Crystal Lab, now this is where the real action takes place. Expression is equipped with world renowned top of the line equipments and the best of them are located in Crystal lab. Most current professional artists and designers can’t even touch them. They are innovative and create luxurious pieces, Expression didn’t earn it’s title as the number one place to be when it came to fashion, arts and designs for no reason.

Anyone who successfully completes their internship here or graduates with a degree here is guaranteed job security with the best of the best the fashion world has to offer. The lab is always buzzing with vivacious sounds, it’s a privilege to be here and everyone knows it. That’s why anyone that gets into this program based on their own merit and not who they know or through nepotism, never take this opportunity for granted.

Further down the in the Lab towards the right, is a Luca Jae Hall private office, he is the only one of his peers with a private space of his own. Their managing director Christine North deemed it necessary he has privacy for some of his more award winning intricate work for the program. He did not protest it, he values privacy and solitude on most days.

Although, it often times seems like everyone including the board of directors forgot one very important fact, Luca himself is still a active intern within the program. Yes it’s true that he is far more advanced in his work than most if not all of his peers in this program, but he gets so much special privileges, he might as well be a full time employee at the institution.

He’s learned a lot here, and he’s helped teach a few people, some are gone and others are still present under his mentorship but not necessarily his leadership. He helps in a more collaborative way, since they don’t need his supervision any more. He knows a few people that have only lasted 2 months out of their assigned 6 and others preferring not to go further once they have completed their obligatory 6 months internship for full credit.

He’s not sure if he hopes his new intern quits early or ride this thing to the max, only time will tell. With that thought running through his mind, he opens the door to his private space, calling it his office he learned gave some gents a bad case of the inferiority complex. He settled on private space instead, somehow it made all the difference. Whatever he can do to ease their self inflicted aggravation he thought.

“Luca?”

He heard her breathy voice before he saw her face. The beat in his heart skipped way up, rapidly. WHAT THE FUCK?!!


	4. Chapter 4

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
“Luca?”

He heard her breathy voice before he saw her face. The beats in his heart skipped several beats, speeding up rapidly. The moment he looked up and stared directly into her eyes, he knew it was the biggest mistake he has ever made. WHAT THE FUCK?!!

He should have turned right around and walked away without looking back the moment he heard her voice. He didn’t and Just like that, it all came rushing back, the sheer force of her presence, hit him like a ton of bricks. He was reliving it...she was reliving it...

*****  
A YEAR AND A MONTH AGO...

“Zoey. Who are you?”

Her father’s voice echoes in her head. No matter what she does, or how much she tries to block it out, she could never filter out the disdain in his voice, the way he looked at her with utter disappointment, as he stood there waiting for an answer to his question.

She stares at him meekly realizing she could not answer that for him and worst of all, she couldn’t answer that for herself. The beginning of her spiral began from there.

*****  
“Zoey tell me, WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?..” Luca’s question snaps her back to reality. Luca is currently using his loud voice, this is bad because until that moment, Zoey had no idea he had one.

He stood staring at her, unbelievably exasperated, bringing her attention back to the man standing in front of her, exhausted by the whole situation.

“I DON’T WANT ANYTHING FROM YOU!” She yells back equally as exasperated before mentally slapping herself for making him feel this way. The situation had already escalated, there is very little she can do now.

They are staring at each other, both daring the other to be the first to look away, to be the first to back down in one of the most unpleasant staring contest ever known to man. Looking into her heavy eyes with heaving breaths, he backs down first.

He took very deep slow breaths before looking away, with a heavy heart he asks again, calmly this time. “What is this about Zoey?”

He threads lightly, “at the risk of upsetting you again since I can’t seem to avoid that lately, I’m tired of walking on egg shells around you.” Defeated, he adds, “I don’t know what to do here.”

He steps towards her a bit, wanting to feel every bit of her he’s been missing lately. He is so tired of feeling helpless about their current state, he steps closer yet again until they were standing almost nose to nose, feeling each other breathe, the intensity of the moment making him ache.

Goodness, he missed the ease and warmth only being close to Zoey gave him, he reaches up caressing her face tenderly. “I’m caught between a rock and a hard place, I’ve been guilty of false assumptions before so please tell me if I’m wrong,”

He tries to pick his words wisely at this point, the last thing he wants to do is upset her more than she already is.

“You and only you know what’s going on, but no matter what it is, we are still us”, his hand continues to delicately caress her face.

“We can talk about anything, nothing has ever been off limits and never been this difficult. Baby, whatever it is, it doesn’t have to affect us, don’t let it. I am right here, I am present.”

She stands there, stoically staring deeply into his eyes, ”Luca this is not a marriage,” she starts the emotions building up in her voice.

Luca’s list of people he cares about is a short one, but he prides himself in the fact that he loves one girl and he loves her thoroughly. He knows Zoey Johnson and there was something she was struggling with and he couldn’t help her. He felt helpless.

“there’s something you’re trying to tell me that I’m not getting,” his voice pleading softly but desperately, “Please babe just be straight up, unload on me.”

She stares at him, unmoving, choosing not to say a word. With a pleading eyes and broken voice, he says quietly, “say something” searching her eyes for the truth.

Knowing he must be the world’s biggest masochist because he pretty much already knows Whatever she has to say can not be pleasant and he should go but somehow he still needs to hear her break his heart.

Zoey latched on to the fingers he held her face with. “I don’t want to hurt you, and if I say what’s on my mind, that’s exactly what I’ll do.” She steps away from him remorsefully and turns away from him.

“How can you possibly hurt me?” He questions baffled by her words.

Taking a deep breath, she decides to free the both of them from this misery. “Luca, do you ever just sit back and think about how young we are? How comfortable we are in this little bubble we’ve created. Everything else we’re missing out on?”

“I’m confused, what’s wrong with comfortable?” He looks at her, dumbfounded, genuinely confused.

“NOTHING Luca! But there is so much I want to do that I can’t because we’re in this bubble for two!” That came out hasher than she intended but she is so incredibly frustrated.

“Are you insinuating I’m hindering your progress in life?” He says, at this point he’s getting offended. “I didn’t know us being together was a burden.”

“We always support each other, that’s the motto right? Besides, when did all of this happen? I thought it was clear this union is pro accomplishing everything we both want to in life.”

“No,” she sighs dejectedly, “it’s just with everything that’s happened recently, with my dad, with friends I thought I knew, and with school I just think I need some time to re-evaluate some of my life choices.”

He fully takes a step back from her, feeling blindsided. He expected that this conversation wouldn’t be a pleasant one but the whys of it all is still a baffling one.

Zoey feeling all the colors of emotions he’s currently going through, she continues on. “It’s really weird when you use words like “union”, this is not a marriage and us coexisting like we are in one is why I can’t figure out where you end and where I begin anymore.”

“So let me get this straight, because you got in trouble with your dad and got in a trivial fight with a friend, that automatically means you have to question our relationship?”

“It’s not just about that Luca, my dad made some points okay? I never really thought about it but everything I currently am is somehow informed by who you are.” At this point she tried to pick her words wisely.. it might have been too late

“My choices in combination with your habits doesn’t a responsible young lady make.” she looks at him guiltily knowing she just made who he is a problem in their relationship. She loves who he is, all of him. But who is she without him? This question still plagues her.

“Are you trying to tell me you want a break or that you want to break up?” Feeling numb and shaky because he still in disbelieve that any of this is happening.

Feeling every bit as shitty as she thought she would saying any of this to him, she eases down. She has gone through this over and over in her head and the truth is, she is just not happy.

She’s been feeling dejected and out of touch for a while and until she can figure out the whys of it all, she needed to not be with Luca. Zoey needed to focus on Zoey and as hard a decision as this has been for her to make, it was the right one.

She feels selfish putting him through this, but for a while now, the echoing of her fathers “who are you?!” has not left her. She’s felt lost for a while because she realized when her father asked her that, she couldn’t think of one thing that was authentically her anymore. The only thing she knows for sure is that her name is Zoey Johnson and she loved one Luca Jae Hall.

Was that really a note worthy identifier? Is that all she was? Is that something to be proud of? Who was she without Luca? She needed to find out and maybe just maybe, without him she would be able to get realigned with herself.

There was a girl she used to know, she was cool, in control and always self assured, she needed to reconnect with her again. She was on a new road to self rediscovery and it would be selfish to keep dragging Luca along for this emotional ride she’s currently on.

She needed to look to all sides of her life for rediscovery and that included parts that she’s long forgotten and gradually left behind. She didn’t want to resent Luca for making her care about little else but their “love”.

There absolutely had to be more to this thing called life than cuddling with Luca in bed and watching the price is right. Goodness, they were 19! They both needed to explore and see if something else was out there, is it so wrong to want more for herself?

Her father’s disapproval of her relationship with Luca isn’t helping matters either, could she really see a future with a man her father couldn’t tolerate? and she absolutely hated not being the apple of her fathers eyes anymore, it’s unnatural.

Everybody knows Zoey Johnson is Andre Johnson’s favorite child, and that was all due to who she was. Maybe her father was right, all the choices she’d made up to this point, led her to the moment she got cut off from not only her financial security, but her position in the Johnson family household chain of command.

She wanted it all back, she just wants to be that girl again and that girl didn’t have Luca’s influence or attachment to her. That girl did not love one person so much she barely knows where he begins and she ends.

That girl was always in control and single minded, most importantly, that girl didn’t disappoint her father, she made all the “right” choices.

She decides to rip off the band aid, “What I’m trying to say is maybe we need some time apart.” She says in a shameful and quiet tone, she looks away, almost like she’s looking for the person saying all this floating out from inside of her.

She feels conflicted with herself, she’s been in a mental battle with herself for a few weeks now and he obviously noticed. A few weeks ago, imagining a world without Luca is a world unimaginable and it still is, but so much has happened and changed these last few weeks, it would be unfair to pretend they haven’t.

“So you’re breaking up with me.” He says stoically and matter of factly in that cold, uncaring, no bullshit Luca tone she hasn’t been on the receiving end of since the last time he almost gave up on them. The freshman year spring formal seems like a lifetime ago.

“Not breaking up per say, just...” she says fumbling with her words, vulnerably playing with her fingers, unable to look at him anymore. She feels herself sliding back on her earlier assertion, this is all getting too real.

He cuts her off, having heard enough, “Feel free to go through everything you are right now and I will do my best to be understanding of your wants, but you and your father have no right to judge me.” With that as his last words, he walked out of her apartment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	5. Chapter 5

Present day....

Zoey Johnson loved a boy, Zoey Johnson gambled with it, and it was a huge loss. These are thoughts that have plagued Zoey for months now, and here she is, staring that loss straight in the eyes. It doesn’t feel real, he can’t be real. 

“Luca?”

He’s standing right there, staring straight back at her, not muttering a single word. Their past, good and bad came rushing back to her. 

Zoey went through her lost phase completely stripped of her identity, she struggled with self knowledge, self worth, uncertainty and insecurities. 

Those were all emotional stimulants that lead to overthinking and overreacting. She was certainly the queen of overthinking and overreacting. 

She over thought everything and overacted to those thoughts and here she is faced with the consequences of all her actions and clueless as to how to carry forward. 

Luca Hall is standing motionless opposite her and she couldn’t run to him and worst of all, she couldn’t hug him. 

Goodness Gracious, I really want to hug him. She thought, overwhelmingly. It seems like every bone in her body suddenly forgot how to move. It was probably for the best as she’s sure her touch is very much unwelcome by him right now. 

All she can do is stand there frozen, reliving that faithful day over and over in her head. Quick Zoey! She thought, think of something to say that isn’t awkward. 

Quick! .... she’s blanking on words.... goodness gracious I have never gone this long without words before, why are my palms sweating? Shit... 

Suddenly all the weird nerves and vibes from last night and this morning makes sense. I TOLD ERIC! I TOLD HIM! 

Why am I having inner monologues with myself right now? I’m standing here staring at Luca like a dud? ...at this point, only the sound of their breathing can be heard in the room. 

“You’ve changed.” Was the first thing that quietly slipped out of her mouth as she observes him.

“I’ve had to,” he said in a sharp and slightly belligerent tone. His resentment of her fully becoming apparent. 

Okay, so this is not going to be a pleasant reunion... why not just get straight to the point and be honest she decided. 

“You have to believe me, the last thing I ever wanted was to hurt you.” The remorse in her voice apparent. 

“It doesn’t matter what you wanted...” looking into those pair of beautiful traps she carries around she calls eyes, he immediately straightens up.

He has to step away from her, he needs the extra space from her to breathe, “it matters what happened.”

“Yes, absolutely...” short on words but feeling the need to clear this bad energy between them, “um... I just really feel like I owe you an explanation.”

“Nah, it’s all good, you owe me nothing, and I owe you nothing. As far as I’m concerned we have nothing to talk about.” 

“Luca I know the way things ended was messed up but ..”

He cuts her off before she could go further. “Messed up or not, I’m not interested in rehashing the past, it doesn’t matter anymore, it’s done and I’ve moved on.” 

“Rehash?” She looks at him perplexed. “What has this place done to you?”

Purposefully ignoring her question, he continues. “Look, bottom line, as far as I’m concerned, we have no past.” 

He is giving her a very unfamiliar Luca Jae Hall, Expression’s very own golden boy attitude. “But we do have a present and presently I will like to introduce myself as your mentor and take it from there.”

She inhales frustratedly “look I know you’re the king of deflecting and pretending not to care, but actually running away from this doesn’t make it go away.”

“Alright,” He starts nonchalantly, “you can go ahead and believe that but please, don’t try to dissect me, save your psycho analysis for someone who needs it.”

Why is he being like this? “Look, I’m not trying to analyze you, I’m just trying to deal with things maturely.” 

She steps slightly closer to him, hoping to appeal to his reasonable sensibilities. “We have to work pretty closely together, I just don’t want things to be awkward.”

“I am perfectly capable of doing my job without distractions, you’re the one who feels the need to rehash things.” He says purposefully using that word once again, knowing it got to her.

She hands up. “Okay, okay, um.. so how do we handle this?” 

“It’s simple, we focus on what matters, getting the job done. No distractions, no mess, no drama.” He gives her a stern look.

“I should be offended at the insinuation but imma let that go,” she looks at him firmly too, if he wants to play mr hard head, that’s on him, she’ll be here whenever he’s ready to “rehash” things. 

“So how do we play this boss” she says coyly, trying to lighten the tension filled room.

“Well for starters, I’m not your Boss, so maybe start by not calling me that.” 

“Okay, so what should I call you?” Still trying awkwardly to lighten the mood.

“Luca Hall will be just fine”

Okay, so they’re keeping this formally, formal. Got it! “Good to know.”

She very badly wants to catch up and talk to Luca the way only they could, she missed it all and this little interaction of theirs just reaffirmed everything she already knew, she didn’t just loose a lover, she lost her best friend. 

It took every single fiber of self control she could muster up to hold back the “I miss you” dangling at the tip of her tongue. 

She also knows, this new Luca she’s currently experiencing is nothing like the dude she use to know. He seems cold, jaded and more detached than ever. Can someone truly change this much in a year? 

Sure Luca’s always been a bit of a puzzle, to everyone else of course but not her, she knew and understood him no matter how involved or uninvolved he was in any situation. 

This new dude however, is a puzzle. He’s using words like “rehash”? And not once has he mentioned “mad” anything and “deadass” everything, he doesn’t even seem to remember what “deadass” is in his vernacular anymore.

It’s probably best she does focus on the now, the present as he suggested. It might be best because at the very least, nothing that’s transpired between them will be affecting her career opportunity at Expression. 

She then proceeds to fidgety attempt small talk. “You know, um, when I got this internship I was told the best person here would be mentoring me.” With a cautioned but apparent and prideful smile, she says “that’s really impressive Luca.” 

He’s sitting behind his spacious workstation at this point, looking up at her, with a look she can’t seem to decipher. “Thank you.” He’s being short but it sounded so soft and genuine, gah I miss him! 

Feeling self conscious by his weird unreadable gaze, she fidgets before finding her way to the chair opposite him. “You’re welcome.” She looks at him softly. 

“But I meant what I said, we should focus on the now, get you where you need to be in the program, and be done.” Just like that, the moment they just shared disappeared. 

Straight to the point yet again, the softness in his voice from just a few seconds ago, gone. “Okay.” She straightens up, prepares to do as he says, focus he wants, focus he’ll get. “So, where do we start?” 

*****  
“OMG OMG omg Eric!! This has gotta be the craziest day ever!” 

Eric, trying to piece more of his editorial work together on the other end of the phone stops, curious as to why. “Why? What happened?” 

“You’re not going to believe who my mentor turned out to be...” She fills him in about Luca and everything that happened once they encountered each other. 

Eric with concern in his voice, responds “sweetie that sounds heavy as hell. I’ve only heard bits and pieces about this so called epic love of your life and even I’m shook. How are you coping with all this?” 

“I honestly don’t know Eric. I’m not fully in control here, but I think I’m doing a decent job of winging it.” Zoey bites her nails unsettled, pacing back and forth in the unisex bathroom of crystal lab. 

She sighs heavily before continuing, “I mean he says he wants to just focus on the work, so at least there’s that. That’s a good thing, right?”

“I’m sorry babe, I wish I could be there to give you more focused attention and some much needed hug right now but I gotta finish this editorial today.” 

He leans back in his chair, “say why don’t we shelf all this until dinner. We can meet at the cafe and really talk.”

“Yeah, sure, um..totally.” 

“I know this is the last thing you imagined you’d have to deal with today, but listen, you gotta keep your focus. I don’t know Luca but he’s not wrong, you have work to do.”

“So go in there, show him and whomever else is watching that you came there to win, and although it’s proven challenging already, slay this day anyway!” Feeling inspired himself, “you got work to start, I got work to finish. We got this!”

“We got this! I’ll see you at dinner.” With that, Zoey hangs up the call, looks at herself in the mirror, attempting some calming breathing exercise. Her confidence shoots up a tad more. “I got this.” 

*****  
“Sorry I took so long, I was ..” Zoey begins to explain, but before she could finish explaining, Luca interrupts. 

“No need to explain, just um fill out this information form and when you’re done, walk up to Cecil, she’s the lady at the front desk, hand it to her. She knows what to do.” He moves on to rummaging through his desk drawers. 

Gah he’s so irritatingly handsome right now! Why is he being like this? Okay, okay, she knows why but it’s still annoying as hell. Exasperated, She goes ahead to fill out her form. 

She’s not naive enough to believe they could work through the unresolved elephant in the room, but she was guilty of being naive enough to believe Luca would have missed her as much as she’d missed him. 

With a heavy heart, trying to accept her sudden new reality, she headed towards Cecil with her fully filled form. 

Once at her destination, she calls out to Cecil with a polite smile, needing all the ally’s she can muster in here with Luca acting like a shit head. “Hi, I’m Zoey Johnson, the new intern.” 

Cecil smiles back at her, “oh yes, I remember you. Hi, I’m sure you have a file for me.” 

Oh, okay, so she does know what to do. “Yes I do, here you go.” Handing over the file she stands waiting for Cecil’s dismissal while she stacks the folder away. 

“Oh, you can go, that would be all.” 

“Okay, thanks.” She walks always questioning everything. Not really understanding why her constant need for validation is a trait she can’t seem to be rid of. She doesn’t even know Cecil, why did she need her to like her? 

“Doesn’t even make any sense!” She bites back at herself while opening the door back into Luca’s space.

*****  
Taking her seat opposite him, she continues on “Okay so what happens next?” 

He finally looks up at her, there’s that weird look again, she observes but decides to shake it off and focus before overanalyzing something out of nothing. 

“Come again?”

“I said what happens next?” Exasperated at his purposeful nonchalant attitude. Some things never change I guess, she internally rolls her eyes. “I’m assuming there’s gotta be more to this day than filling out a form and submitting it?” 

“Well usually on the first day of meeting an intern, I have them fill out that form, submit it, then we head out to get better acquainted since we’ll have to work closely for the next 6 or so month.” 

“Oh...” a realization hits her, so he doesn’t want to get acquainted since there’s would be more of a reacquaintance. 

So he doesn’t want to focus on the present with a clean slate after all. “Look I know it’s a hard request but I’m entitled to the same treatment as any other mentee of yours.” 

“I agree” he responds calmly.

“So if you.. wait what? You do?”

“Yes I do, so why don’t we gather our things and head out?” 

“Oh, okay, sure.” Okay, so a full rest of the day just hanging and chilling and getting acquainted alone together? This should go well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	6. Chapter 6

Zoey barely looked up from her cellphone while riding down the elevator with Luca. The obvious tension between them aside, she needed to distract herself from the subtle, all too overwhelmingly sexy scent of his cologne, it was all too determined to overwhelm all her senses into submission. 

Tempted to say “you smell so good right now” as she normally would when they were happy and in love, she decides on a more silent approach. This day doesn’t really need more complications. 

No, no, nope! She warns herself. Just keep looking at the non existent images on your phone. Yeah, that works, she tries to convince herself... until she made the mistake of inhaling deeply. 

She momentarily flashed back to the rude stranger that bumped into her shoulder earlier in the day, it was HIM! Ugh! I KNEW IT! Their animosity earlier had distracted her from noticing anything else. 

Determined not to rock any more boats with Luca today, she decides to keeps that incident to herself.

He always did smell overwhelmingly good and it use to drive her nuts. Apparently, it still does. She releases a soft, gentle and appreciative grunt, indicative of her frustration.. and appreciation.

Frustrated with her thoughts in that moment, she sighs heavily, but quietly. She leans up straighter, before finally looking up from her end in the elevator. 

*****  
Luca was very much tempted to ask “are you okay?”, he admits it’s a somewhat slow elevator ride down multiple floors but it wasn’t that bad. Maybe I should ask her, he thought, I would any other intern slash mentee.

Knowing how impure his thoughts have been since the moment he laid eyes on her, he decides it was better he didn’t say anything. 

Why does she have to smell so good? she always smells so intoxicatingly sweet, add to that her beauty, GAH and her eyes, more than beautiful... just everything HER!.. he could go on forever.. 

Frustrated with his own conflicting thoughts torturing his mind, he leans towards her. 

Only Zoey Johnson can make him this way, that warmth he’s been missing lately, it’s hers. Her full Zoey lips, he especially missed those like crazy. 

This is why he couldn’t help but stare at her all morning, she was so distracting he had to actively keep busy to keep from staring. 

He wasn’t in love with her anymore - a voice in the back of his mind sarcastically mocks him, “sure you’re not” - but he is so damn sure he is lusting. 

Lusting hard. She must have noticed too because she looked back at him a few times with that confused facial tick she use to get whenever he would say some of the wildest things back when they were together.

“She is so fire” that voice in his head whispered again. “Just so sexy,” and it seems a year apart has made her even more so. Dammit! 

These thoughts and more plague him as he finally decides to look over at her, to his surprise, she was staring right back up at him.

“I’m sorry?” 

*****  
Staring up at him, Her heart did the double jump skippy thing it has been doing all day today at the sight of him. Did he just call me sexy? 

“I’m sorry?” She asks. 

She caught him of guard, “What?” 

“You said something about someone being sexy?” This time, she is focused strictly on his his facial profile. Making him very aware she is staring.

She’s been around him for hours now and have known him for years, yet; she let her eyes travel from the tip of his full loc of head down to his jaw line, with deep interest. 

He is so beautiful. Wildly so, he was too beautiful. 

All the while, Luca’s is fumbling unsteadily, trying to find the words to get him out of his apparent new wave of thinking out loud. 

“Um, ...I was um.. thinking about some new designs to work on for the upcoming workshop.” Yes that’s it! Designs. 

“Yeah?” A hint of disappointment in her voice. 

“Yeah, they’re intricate work but it’s what makes them so fire and in my opinion, really really sexy.” Making suggestive eye contact at her lips. He can’t seem to stop staring at them.

She didn’t realize she’d let out another gentle grunt, this time, in pleasure. He’s looking at me.. air gets caught in her lungs at the sheer intensity of his eyes. He opened his mouth to say something but, 

The elevator slowed to a stop at the lobby with a loud ding. The doors slides open, he gestured ahead allowing her to step out first, with what is arguably his flirtiest smile to date at her, he says “ladies first”. 

She takes the lead, walking ahead. Before crossing over the threshold, she turns her head back at him, staring up with raised eyebrow and a flirty smile of her own. 

Two can play this game, whatever this game is. He returns her smile with a devilish and disarming one. 

*****  
Once out of the lobby towards the parking lot at Expression, Luca gestures towards one of the parked vehicles lined up on the strip. The driver moved the car towards them.

“Get in.”

“Do you mind if I ask where we’re going?” She asks getting in ahead of him.

“I’m usually selfish about this part of this process, we’re headed to my favorite little spot out in the city.” He adjusts himself into the car seat next to her before shutting the door.

“Okay, sounds dope.” Zoey says trying to pretend everything about today has not been surreal.

“It’s a nice little cafe off the riverbank, nothing fancy but it’s perfect for chilling and they serve some of the best pastries around here.” 

She nods in agreement still a bit shaken from their moment earlier in the elevator. He doesn’t seem as affected as she apparently is, leaving her confused.

She was lost in thought all the way to the Cafe, it took Luca saying something to snap her out of it. “We’re here.”

“Wait a minute,” she looks around carefully, “we’re at Cafe l'amour règne.” She looks back at him excitedly. 

“That’s where we are.” Her excitement confusing him just a tad. “You know here?” 

“Know here?! Luca I practically live here.” She giggles. “This is your favorite spot?” Looking at him like she would a brand new pair of YSL boots. 

“Yes actually,” her excitement becoming infectious. He chuckles in amusement. “I would live here if I could.” 

“Oh my goodness me too.” Calming down slowly, “I thought I was crazy for feeling that way.” 

“Well um, we should go in?”

“Oh yeah, sorry” 

“What’s your preference, indoor or outside?” 

“Oh indoor, definitely.”

“Preferably by the windows” they said in unison before making eye contact. They both look away with soft smiles before heading in.

******  
They sat in a quiet little corner by the window waiting for their ordered drinks and pastries.

“So, you’ve changed” she restates her earlier question feeling a bit bolder than she was earlier in the day. 

“What does that even mean?” He looks at her with a slightly baffled expression. 

“It means we have been together for hours now and not once have you lighted up.” She says coyly hoping he doesn’t take any of her assessment wrongly.

“I still light up, I’ve just had to keep it under control.” Genuinely opening up to her. “The company I keep at Expression doesn’t exactly permit that particular activity.” 

“Change is good, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. Just trying to decipher this new guy I’m chilling with.” 

“Well, you seem different too.” There he goes with the eye thing again, heavens help me.

“Is that good or bad?” She asks feeling slightly self conscious.

“Here you are my dears.” It was sweet old Lady Betsy’s Niece Carrie interrupting before Luca could answer her question. 

His face lights up as he stands up to give her a hug. “Bonjour Carrie, it’s so good to see you. When did you get back in town?”

“I just returned mon amour,” equally as happy to see Luca, she turns to Zoey, “you must be Zoey.” 

Never haven’t met this very lively lady before, Zoey was a bit taken aback that she knew who she was. “Hi,” smiling politely, through her confusion she asks, “Have we met before?”

“No we have not, but my Anty Betsy talks about her two favorite Americans all the time, her description of you is uncanny.” 

“Aww, that’s so sweet of her, I adore her dearly too.” Zoey smiles fondly. “I’ve missed seeing her around here.” 

“You know mammon Betsy?” 

“Yes, she was incredibly nice to me the first day I came in here,” she gestured towards the check out counter, “the moment I stepped in and got up there, she had this aura”

Luca nodded in agreement, 

“She was so kind to me, read me like an open book and I opened up to her easier than I ever have anyone else ever in my entire life.” 

“I can relate.”

Zoey smiled at him, “I felt right at home here, She is a magical being.” 

“She is pretty incredible.” Luca says, in awe of how similar their experiences with this place have been. 

“My Aunt is a unicorn, this we all know.” Carrie says breaking through their moment. “She sends her hello to you both, enjoy your pastries.” She informs them before turning towards her work counter.

“Wait, Carrie, is she well?..” Luca asks concerned. “I know it’s not unusual for her to not show up but I miss her and this time feels different.”

Carrie gives him a eerie look, before smiling softly, “She just needs rest mon amour, she is well. Enjoy your pastries darlings.” With that she walks away.

“I hope she’s okay.” Zoey feeling every bit as unsettled as Luca looks. “I know I haven’t known her too long but that woman is so important.” 

“She is, I’ve been trying to reach her but I can’t, I don’t want to impose but I’m worried.”

“I get that,” she reaches over to hold his resting hand on the table, “but Carrie said she’s well, let’s hope a little more rest is all she needs before she steps out here again.”

“I guess so,” Luca says through his fright, trying to appease himself with a joke, “she’s pretty old.”

“Yeah..” Zoey chuckles, absorbing how young and innocent he looks in that moment. “She’s a old bitty.” She has missed Luca Jae Hall. 

*****  
Having shared what feels like the craziest connection today, Luca was feeling refreshed. “Why don’t we start today over?”

She looks at him like he’s going a little crazy, amused, “what do you mean?”

“I mean, I meant what I said, we can start today afresh.” 

She’s staring at him intently waiting for his end point.

“right now, we’ve never met before, we have a clean slate.” With a smooth and sultry voice, he says “anything goes tonight.” He says through a very familiar gaze. 

Why did he make that sound so sinful? and that look, I know that look... she gulps

“This is usually the part where I part ways with the mentee,” playing with her fingers, reminding her that she held on to his hands earlier and forgot to let go. 

“What do you have in mind?” She asks shakily looking at him through heavy lids 

“I happen to have a really spacious loft not too far away from here,” he leans forward, holding her gaze and stealing what is left of her breathing. “Care to join me for dinner?” He asks suggestively.

Okay maybe she might have misread a lot today but that dinner invitation is straight up, Luca I want to get filthy 101. It’s his move and she is all too familiar with it. 

Remembering her dinner plans with Eric tonight, she clears her throat, “I actually had dinner plans for two with my best friend, but I think what you have on the menu is more appealing to my appetite right now.” Fully reciprocating his suggestive looks and playing along. 

She gets me, he was hoping she’d catch on to his game. She always got me, Luca loves that about her, In fact at that moment there wasn’t a thing he wanted to do more than spend the rest of his evening loving her body. 

He reaches a hand forward, “Luca Jae Hall.” 

She slid hers into his with ease, ready to go anywhere with him right now. “Zoey Johnson.” 

Holding hands and eye contact longer than necessary, both their bodies tingle in anticipation and familiarity. 

*****


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter gets a bit sexually graphic ... you have been warned.

*DING*  
The elevator door of Luca’s building closes... 

As soon as the elevator door closes behind them, Luca lifts Zoey up into his arms, she immediately wraps her lean shapely legs around his waist. 

She lightly clings to his full Locs of hair as Luca steps forward pressing her back to the elevator wall, he kisses her hard and long.

He raises his hand to her thigh, caressing them gently as they kiss deeply and with a fierceness, sloppily and desperate, they both cling fiercely to each other. 

Tilting her head back, he moves the kisses to her neck, he groans out, “hmm, You smell so good...” Through dilated pupils and swollen lips, she manages to let out a soft moan “You smell so good to me too,” 

His mouth plunders back down to hers, as if to quiet her from talking further, exploring the depth of her sweetness, he pulls her deeper flush against him. 

She offers her tongue to him and he sucks on it gently. Nice and slow, he remembers, she likes it like that. 

At this point, Luca’s feeling rather untamed, he kisses her harder, but by the way her grip on his hair tightens, perhaps she is the untamed one. 

All he can think about is having his way with her all night until tomorrow afternoon... and that’s exactly what he plans to do.

He trails kisses down from her lips to the corner of her mouth, licking his way to her cheek, down to her chin and finally down to her neck, giving it a teasing bite. 

He palms the soft flesh of her breast through her top as he grinds his hardness against her. “That feels so..soo..sooo good,” she stutters out through moans, biting her bottom lip. 

“I’m so sorry I’m on the 19th floor.” Luca looks up to meet her eyes, through heavy lids, hard breathing and racing heartbeat. Her only response to that was kissing him again, hard and hot.   
*****

*DING*  
The elevator door opens directly into Luca’s loft...

They barely made it out into the dark foyer of Luca’s huge loft before they were both almost stripped to their undergarments. So heated they almost tripped over a piece of furniture Luca mentally notes to have trashed as soon as he can.

They ripped at each other’s clothes through trembling fingers, biting teeth, and heavy groans and Moans. “Sorry..” they said in unison before proceeding to continue ripping at each other’s clothes. 

Now, fully in the loft, naked and heated, their hands glide and grope, stroke and caress all the contours of each other’s body. She blinks and the next thing she knows, her body is pressed down against the very cold marble top of the kitchen counter. 

Zoey gasped from the euphoric feeling created by the combination of his body heat and the coldness of the marble counter top. “This is happening isn’t it?” She asks.

“Do you want to stop?” He responds staring deeply into her eyes, fully ready to stop if she wants to but hoping her answer will be no, yet; knowing it’ll probably be a yes. 

“Are you kidding?..” Her face presses into his rugged Locs of love, “don’t stop.” breathing into it, she presses his face down towards her chest, his lips sought and found her aching nipples. 

The first feel of his tongue flickering around her nipples made Zoey moan out loud and that made him suck the nipple harder and eagerly . “Don’t ever stop,” she whispers huskily. 

Hearing her pleasure cries, he hardens even more, he tried his best to draw nearly all of her hot breast into his mouth, whispering against it, “so damn beautiful” as he circled his hips into the softness of her belly. 

With one last gentle tug of her nipple with his teeth, Luca shifts his head to her other breasts giving it the same attention, “I ... just...” Zoey starts mumbling incoherent words.

Luca cuts off her hot rambling by capturing her mouth with his again. Zoey clings on to him for dear life. Heavens, she was drowning and he was her only life preserver. 

It’s probably reckless of her mind to start thinking like that, especially this soon after reuniting. There is still so much left unsaid between them but she can’t help it. He is everything. 

This man is simultaneously handsome, sexy, and beautiful, it also matters that he is currently making her toes curl, he is near, and most importantly, he is so familiar. 

He is comfortable, he is home. “What’s wrong with comfortable?” The painful memory of him asking her that question rushes back into her mind. Nothing at all...

Luca’s always been a bit mysterious and intriguing, but this new dude he’s become is a lot more intriguing and mysterious. 

Nothing was clearer in her current Luca fogged up mind than the fact that, she would never ~no matter what happens between them after tonight ~ find anyone who could kiss her quite the same way that he could.

In one quick swoop, he lifts her up with ease and carries her toward the bedroom. She continues her merciless ministrations of torturous kisses on his face, his earlobes, and down to his neck.

On his way in, he hurriedly grabs his disposed pants and retrieves protection from his wallet, flinging the pants and the wallet back to the floor. He carries her through the loft towards the master bedroom. 

She feels good in his arms, she feels so right in his arms, but this isn’t about that, this is about the physical act of unhinged passion and nothing more. Laying her gently on the plush bed, he sheathed himself carefully with a condom, there will be no mistakes...

Zoey clings on to him, her hands playing with the soft hairs at his nape as she lightly bites and sucks on his neck ~she remembers it being his kryptonite~ Her entire body feels so alive. 

Zoey sits up on her knees beside him, giving him a once over, “Looking good, you been working out?” she says with a wicked smirk half teasingly, half serious. 

Admiring the view, she perused his flat stomach, it’s always been flat but it’s now outlined with a defined six pack, hard chest and chiseled everything, he looks sinful and she made sure he knew it, “you look good.” 

She leans across to straddle him. Giving him another naughty smirk, Luca fully enjoying this new interesting side of Zoey ~so confident, so sexy~ he puts his hands on her waist caressing it gently. 

She looks incredible as he observes her full breasts, down to her toned beautiful stomach, so fire! she is “very sexy,” and he let her know it, giving her a naughty smirk of his own. 

His eyes trails down from her stomach all the way down to the mound between her thighs. That made him swallow hard, he suddenly feels like there’s a huge lump in his throat. 

She smiles softly down at him, as she eases down guiding her core onto his hardness. She presses her plumb lips to his, kissing him hard.

They both kept their eyes open staring intensely into each other’s eyes, something they have always done from their past times together, it was like a reflex and something so natural to the both of them. Somethings never change, she thought, as she moves downwards with deliberate slowness until all of him filled her. 

They both tense up and gasp heavily, breathing each other in, a sudden wave of electricity, rushes down both their bodies. The air between them feels thick, charged and clogged.

Luca bites down hard on his bottom lip, his eyes unable to look away from hers, as her walls gripped him in like a tight fist. He shakes as he brings his hands up to lightly grasp her waist, guiding her movement as Zoey begins to hurriedly and rhythmically ride him, Leaving him breathless. 

She leans forward, kissing him to keep herself from screaming uncontrollably, “you feel so good to me..” she moans into his ear, “Does it feel good to you?” Already knowing the answer from his tight grip in her waist but asking anyway..

“Yessss..” he moans out with eyes rolled all the way to the back of his head. He is barely able to get his words out. At this point she feels her climax slowly building, she leans back. 

That move exposes her to him. Luca couldn’t look away, he reaches between them caressing her exposed mound, she moves faster, seeing his rod glistened with her juices and he loses his mind all over again. 

She feels him stiffen inside her and that alerts her his climax is close. She deepens her grind wildly, eagerly building towards a very intense climax, she rides faster, desperately seeking release. 

Seeking it like a drug, she tells him “Don’t ... stop. Go faster, yes! Just like that. Just ... like ... that,” she urges him on loudly and intensely.

Seeing her intense climax coming ~he knows her body~ he teases her wickedly through hazy and uncontrolled words, “what.. happened ..to nice and slow? Hmm...” 

Zoey lets out a small quiet laugh at the lack of control in his voice “do not play with me right now dude” She warns half teasingly, half seriously through a very intense and electric buildup down below. Laughter disappears.

With that, he begins to grind his hips up against her faster and harder just as she asked. Their bodies slips into one unified rhythm, One crazy, fast and hard grind. 

As if on queue, they both begin to tremble uncontrollably, with the first wave of their release hitting them closer, they both open their eyes and stare deeply into each other’s. It becomes too intense but they keep the rhythm, they refuse to break their grind.

Luca feels his toes go numb and his legs stiffen, “Arghhh,” he cries out, Zoey sits up straight, still not breaking eye contact nor their unified rhythm, he mind goes wild. “Please Don’t stop. Damn Zoey!” 

The moment his hips jerks up, she unleashes the screams she’s been holding back all night, as she rides the heavy and intense wave of her climax. “Oh shit! Lucaaaa... ooo ...aaa,” she shouts out in intense pleasure, letting her head swing back with her eyes finally close. 

“Come on. Come,” he urges thickly with a rugged voice. He sits up straight and wraps his arms around her tightly directing his mouth towards her full breasts, sucking, licking, that pushed her over the edge.

Zoey rides out the last wave of her orgasm loudly and hoarsely as she feels herself free-falling from the intense high. She feels lightheaded. weightless. Endless. Safe. 

Moments later she collapses forward against him, they are both spent and tired. They drift off to sleep with the last thought in her mind being how happy she is being held in his arms again.


	8. Chapter 8

The smell of freshly brewed coffee laced with freshly wrapped early morning herb wafts strongly in the air. No doubt, Luca’s wrapped a blunt and is enjoying a early morning spliff. The smell of freshly made pancakes is mixed in there too. 

Zoey opened her eyes to a dark room, although; she’s pretty sure it’s early morning already. Waking up to that pleasant aroma put the biggest smile on her face, she missed waking up to that smell, so uniquely Luca. 

Zoey missed it all, and after last night together, she missed him so much... The buzz of her vibrating phone yanks her out of her daze. 

“ZOEY JOhNsON I NEED TO KNoW WHERe You ARE OR I’M ALERTING THe POLICE. CALl me, TEXT me whatever but I need to know you’re okay!!” - Sincerely, your fam who is going out of his mind with worry. 

Zoey smiles after reading the last of Eric’s multiple text messages. She has been a terrible friend, she completely blew off their plans last night and worst of all, forgot to give him a heads up. She’ll call Eric as soon as she’s out of here but first, she texts him to ease his worry.

“I’m so so sorry dude! I know, I know, I’m going to deserve all the smoke but just know that I am alive and well and will call you as soon as I’m able to.”

“relieved you’re alive. Call me ASAP.”

“Will do! Xo.”

Buck naked, she wraps herself in Luca’s purely white bedsheet, making her way towards the pile of clothes in the corner. She grabs one of his bright long sleeve shirt and puts it on. “That works.” She makes her way towards the direction of his kitchen following the smell.

She went through the corridor that connects his bedroom to the spacey living room, she waltz lazily into the living room, she immediately spots Luca standing between the cooker and the kitchen counter arranging a tray of breakfast. 

“Good morning.” That got his attention. 

“Hey! Good morning.” Surprise to see her, “you’re up. I was going to wake you up,” she threads slowly towards him as he enjoys the view of her in his shirt. 

“I hope you don’t mind” She gestures cutely to the shirt she borrowed.

“Nah, it’s cool. I made a fancy breakfast and everything, I didn’t want to be a bad host.” He says with a boyish grin.

“Thanks. I smelt it all the way out of dreamland” She gives him a tight lipped smile, feeling shy around him suddenly. She took a seat at the counter facing toward him.

“So... um.. do you want to have it here or...” feeling awkward trying to decide how they interact now.

“Well I could use a toothbrush if you’ve got a spare.”

“Sure, um I have a few new ones over in the bathroom if you wanna grab one.”

“A few?..” She cringes involuntarily. “Should I be worried about why you have so many spare toothbrushes...” before she could finish her sentence, his phone goes off. 

Looking at the screen to ID the caller, “Ooh, I gotta take this.” He excuses himself to receive the call. “It’s work,...school... well you know what I mean.” He rushes off into another room.

Zoey takes that as her queue to go freshen up and get ready to leave, she still have to make it to expression today, and have to get back to her apartment for a change of clothes. She definitely did not think this through...

*****  
Freshened up and clothed, Zoey makes her way back into the kitchen, Luca is dressed and ready to go too and the curious “How?” Came out before she could stop herself.

He points to the direction of the spare bedroom in the loft, “the spare bathroom.” 

“Oh!” 

Giving her a knowing look, he takes a sip of coffee, making a face, “this is shit coffee by the way, I’m sorry in advance.” He says while trying to finish it through his obvious displeasure.

“I usually get coffee and breakfast at the cafe.”

“It’s no problem,” with a smile she grabs the cup of coffee he made her, “I do the same actually, but I appreciate the gesture.” She takes a sip.. “hmm, it’s actually not that bad.” 

“Your tastebud is either going south or You’re far too kind.” He starts clearing the dirty dishes into the washer getting ready to leave the loft. 

Zoey doesn’t know what to expect of their relationship going forward ~truth be told she didn’t think past the moment last night~ but he’s certainly good at pretending nothing happened between them last night or at all. 

Zoey’s not sure exactly how to take that, the worst part being she doesn’t know what the boundaries are now. This is the point where the old Zoey would need her friends for input, but not only are they all miles apart doing their own things, she doesn’t want to be that girl anymore. 

So, she gets straight to the point. “Luca, I need clarity.” 

“Clarity?... with what?” He asks thoroughly confused. 

“Clarity about us,” she says sternly and matter of factly, she gets up from the stool leaning forward on the counter, “Last night was amazing and I want to do it over and over again, but I refuse to walk on egg shells around you. Especially since we have to work so closely together.”

“That’s straight to the point.” 

“Yep! I know what I want, Now you go.”

“K.”

“K?” She says looking at him like he grew two heads. “Seriously?”

He chuckles a bit, “I don’t want to say something wrong.”

“So be honest.”

“Okay, honest, I can do honest.”

“Good. Go.”

He carefully makes his way towards her, “last night was great and I would like to do it over and again too but I’m not really interested in anything like the past relationship we had.” Trying to choose his words carefully.. “If we continue whatever this is, it’ll have to be on one condition.”

“Which is?”

“We have to agree our past relationship or break up or whatever is no longer a factor here. No expectations, just pure fun. We also can’t let whatever we do physically affect our professional relationship.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?” Skeptical she’s being truthful. The Zoey he knew would never settle for anything less than a sure thing.

“Sure,” seemingly unsure of herself but sticking to her words. “Look, I’m not sure where this is headed or if there’s a destination at all, but I know what I want, and last night was it.”

“So we’re in agreement then?” 

“I mean, we’re both fully functioning adults. We can definitely separate the two, I can be casual, no big deal.” She says quirkily, “and professional, whatever...”

“Okayyy...“ he chuckles again. “so we’re good then, good. Good. Um, so that was a call from Cecil, I’m needed in earlier at Expression for an impromptu meeting with our director..”

“Oh yeah sure I have to go too, I have to go get ready and change clothes, all that.”

“Right. So, can I please call you a cab?”

“Yeah, that’d be okay. Thanks.” She clears her throat as she watches him call her a cab, hoping she’s doing the right thing. She believes they are meant for each other and meeting here was no coincidence but only time will tell if she’s right.

*****  
Feeling more refreshed than he has in what feels like forever, Luca makes his way into Expression, headed towards Cecil’s desk for his daily folder, a very familiar soft and raspy voice calls out to him midway.

“Morning sunshine.” 

“Roxy?” Surprised to see her. 

“Hey lover, did ya miss me?” Looking and smiling at him seductively. 

His brain screamed, Oh shit!


	9. Chapter 9

Fuck No!

“What are you..” heavy sigh, “what are you doing here?..” feeling his good mood slowly melting away. “I thought you transferred out?”

“Well, I changed my mind.” Crowding his space, “once I realized how much I’d miss you, I told Daddy to hold off on his pull. I’d rather stay here with you lover.”

“Woooowww. See I didn’t expect that, I thought you left, I was so sure you were gone. You know just gone...” He feels himself babbling, Luca has never in his entire life wished for the power of teleportation more.

“Aww you missed me already?” She said teasingly while clinging to his arm.

“Um, sure.” Feeling unbearable discomfort.

*****

Cecil chuckles to herself while watching the disaster in the lobby. Everyone knows Roxy is gorgeous but she is also obnoxiously spoiled, bitchy, entitled and bratty.

Shaking her head, she still for the life of her cannot figure out why Luca got himself entangled with her in the first place, he is obviously a glutton for punishment. Brief as it was, the affair obviously meant something to Roxy.

Him not so much. Feeling sorry for Luca she decides he has suffered enough and it was time to save him. Cecil calls out to him,

“Young sir Hall, May I see you urgently at my desk please.”

Noticing Roxy still clinging on to him she adds, “only young Sir Hall please.” Giving Roxy the fakest smile she could muster up in the moment.

Roxy rolled her eyes but took the hint. Everyone knows not to distract the boy genius of Expression from his assignments, it’s the one sacred rule no one questions or challenges.

“Fine!” Rolling her eyes emphatically at Cecil before turning back to Luca and giving him a charming smile with a prolonged kiss on the cheek. She whispers, “I’ll see you later lover”

“K.” Trying but failing at mustering up a genuine smile.

*****  
Once she was out of the lobby he rushes over to Cecil’s desk. “thank you! thank you! thank you!” Breathing a heavy sigh of relieve.

Cecil couldn’t help laughing at him. “I figured you needed it.”

“How and why is that girl allowed back here?! I thought you processed her transfer?”

“I did but it got reversed.”

“Can she do that? Isn’t that illegal or something?”

“Apparently she can since she’s back here, I’m sure it also doesn’t hurt to have a father like hers.”

“This is bad, so! bad! Especially now!”

“Calm down Hall!” As amusing as it is watching Luca be hysterical, Cecil can’t figure out what the big deal is.

“What’s the prob? We all know Roxy is trouble but she’s not new trouble and she does like you. You’re probably the only person she treats like a human being around here.”

“You don’t understand..”Luca sighs, exasperated.

“You’re right, I never understood your sordid affair with that girl but you knew who she was and still messed around with her. So, what’s your damage with her now all of a sudden?”

“You don’t understand.” He looks really disoriented.

“You said that already,” giving him a knowing look to start elaborating.

“I can’t go into details now, but this can’t end well.”

“You didn’t know that before?”

“I didn’t care before, but now I just don’t need Roxy’s energy in my life, ... there’s Zoey, there’s ...”

“Wait, Zoey? The new intern Zoey Johnson? What does she have to do with Roxy?”

“She doesn’t have anything to do with Roxy....” he responds too quickly.

“Hall, Roxy is a nut but she’s not an unreasonable nut with work, why would she care that you have a new intern?”

“She wouldn’t.”

“Okay, so I ask again, what’s the prob?” Cecil asked loosing patience, “What is it?...” Luca remains silent, “you know, I might be loosing interest in this conversation.”

“I know, I’m sorry. Look it’s not important, I’ll handle Roxy, just fill me in on the content for the meeting.”

“From my experience, ‘not important’ doesn’t usually make people this uneasy,” Cecil zones Luca out and starts having a full fledge conversation with herself out loud.

“Unless...no, that would mean...yeah that’s unlikely he’s not dumb, ... welll”

“Excuse me!!” Lightly banging on her desk to snap her out of it, “Can you just fill me in on what I need to know for the meeting.”

With a loud gasp, She suddenly figured it out. “Oh my dosh! there is only one reason you’d worry about that Zoey girl around Roxy and that is if she’s in direct competition with her for the only thing Roxy cares about, which mostly means you, you, and oh yeah, YOU!”

“Competition? What competition?...I have no idea what you’re talking about..”

“Oh don’t play coy with me Hall, there’s something I’m missing here.”

“Wow you’re very perceptive.” He says sarcastically

“Cute! But I’m not the one who’s apparently gotten himself in a poop of a situation.”

“I’m not in a poop situation thank you! I’m not dating either of them.” Luca says defensively.

“Oooh the truth sips out.” Cecil leans forward from her seat behind the large desk, “okay stud! Here I was thinking you were sinking in the ways of the ladies but you’ve been swimming huh? tell me everything!”

“You’re entirely too excited to hear a story that doesn’t exist.” Looking unamused, She hands him his information folder for the upcoming meeting,

“Look, I’ve been done with Roxy for a while, she wasn’t doing it for me anymore, and Zoey well, she’s a new intern here and she deserves nothing but my full attention is all and I’m not sure if you’ve noticed but Roxy can be a lot ....”

“Hmm, you’re rambling which means you’re nervous, and that means you’re hiding something... I’m not one to push but just remember, Cecil knows you mr. Hall. You may go now.” Dismissing him playfully

“Oh you tell me when to go now?”

“Yep.”

Chuckling, Luca walks off with his folder toward his private space. “Please Just make sure you direct Ms. Johnson to my office when she arrives.”

“got it.”

*****  
Zoey is rustling from her bedroom to her living room trying to get her new pair of Louboutin pumps fitted on her feet, while gathering all her necessary documents into her briefcase.

She already started day one of this internship the most unprofessional way possible, She’ll like day two to have a lot more work and less of the other stuff if she can manage it.

Her phone rings, it’s Eric. “Ericccc! I’m so sorry. I meant to call you as soon as I got in but a lot happened and I am running late.”

“Hey babe, it’s nice to know you’re alive, but just imagine sending your kid off into the world and them not returning home overnight.

“I know Eric, I’m shit sometimes.”

“I was shook.”

“Your kid?, shook?, Eric I know you were worried but common now.”

“No seriously, I was crazy worried. What happened? and where were you all night?”

“Sorry again for making you worry, but so much happened and so fast I barely processed anything myself.” She went on to fill Eric in on all her adventures from the day before. “....I spent the entire cab ride here processing what it is I’d just gotten myself into.”

“Oh my! You weren’t kidding, that’s a lot to go through in twenty four hours. What did you conclude after processing?”

“All I’m sure of at the moment is I need to make it to Expression on time this morning and take it from there.”

“That’s fair, let me let you to it. I want to say we’ll do dinner tonight but is that a safe bet?”

“I’m not sure, maybe? But lunch tomorrow is one hundred percent doable and penciled in.”

“Awesome! but I can’t believe this is only day two and I’m already relegated to penciled in level.” Sniffling and jokingly faking tears, “I’m so proud.”

“What you are is a mess” Zoey laughs

“Says the biggest mess of them all, first day on the job and you’re already entangled with the boss.”

“Well he’s not my boss technically, just a mentor. He made that perfectly clear.”

“I’m sure he did, he sounds like a super dedicated mentor too. Giving you a mind blowing welcome and everything.”

“Okay, that’s enough fun for you. Getting off the phone now.” Chuckling at his Silliness, “I gotta go, Bye!” She hangs up and rushes out her apartment.

*****  
Zoey dashes into Expression grateful she was only two minutes late. Cecil looks up from her desk with a ready smile on her face.

“‘Good morning, newbie”

“Hi, ms. Lake.”

“Oh no, call me Cecil, please.”

“Oh, sorry, I was told you preferred to be called that.”

“Well people I like can call me Cecil.” With a charming smile and a wink she directs Zoey to her destination. “Young Sir Hall will like you to resume to his office immediately.”

“Young sir Hall?” Zoey mocks jokingly.

“Don’t make me regret liking you.” With a Look Zoey couldn’t decide if she was joking or being serious.

“Sorry.”

“Kidding.” She laughs, “you’re going to be a fun one right along with Hall. Who needed you in his office about five minutes ago by the way.”

“Shoot! I’m going! Thanks Cecil” she says rushing off towards crystal lab.

“Things are about to get really entertaining around here.” Cecil decided, shaking her head and continuing on with her work.

*****  
Before Zoey could raise her hand up to knock on the door, it swung open revealing Luca at his desk, on the phone.

“Yes Christine I understand..” he gestures for her to take a seat opposite him.

Zoey sits as directed opposite Luca, waiting for him to finish his conversation with Christine North, the managing director in charge of selecting Expression’s young talents.

“...Okay, no problem, I’ll have the first drafts emailed in by Friday. Thank you for the opportunity, goodbye.” Luca’s excitement as he hangs up the phone was hard to miss, he is positively glowing.

“Good morning Ms. Johnson! How was your night?” He says with the goofiest grin on his face.

His happiness is infectious but “Are you kidding?”

“Oh! My bad.” He laughs heartily

“Well I’m glad to see you so excited. What’s going on?”

“Eh, It’s not important, let’s get to work on you lady. It’s crunch time.” Flashing her a dashing smile that makes her wonder what he’s hiding, but if it’s crunch time, it’s crunch time.

“I’m ready.” She says genuinely excited to get to work, she’s been so distracted by everything happening with Luca she forgot how much she’d been looking forward to this part.

“Awesome!” Luca stands up and gestures for her to follow him as he walks her through “all the important spots” in Crystal lab. “This is where all the magic happens ms. Johnson, get excited.”

“I am!” Following him eagerly. “What’s that dark corner over there? We skipped it.”

“Let’s go find out.” Luca switched on the lights in the corner revealing a room filled with large cutting tables and sewing machines. “This is where the fabrics are cut and sewn, this room is pretty important.”

“If it’s so important how come I had to point it out for us to come here.”

“My apologies, I do all of my work in my private space, I generally never use this spot and neither do my mentees”

“So I’m only allowed to work in your office?”

“Not at all, it’s completely up to you, you can work anywhere you’d like after I’ve done my teachings at the space of my choice.”

“seems fair,”

“Good.” Giving her his most encouraging smile, “you ready to start taking notes?”

*****  
Boy! When Luca asked her if she was ready to start taking notes she had no idea what she was excitedly saying “yes” to.

She is currently on the fifteen minutes break ol’ mentor Luca finally gave her after 6 straight hours of note taking and research.

Mental note on something new she’s learned about Luca, he is hardcore at work. She has never experienced him liked this before, he definitely earned his private office because he is someone else entirely while working.

Straight laced, very serious!, Very professional, very hot! He is so Hot! “Gawd help me.” She sighs out loud as she refills her coffee at the big fancy coffee station.

“Hey you, are you going to free up the coffee station anytime soon?” Someone snaps behind Zoey rudely.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I had no idea anyone else was in here.” Zoey turns around facing a very rude yet sultry stranger.

“You must be new here,” walking past Zoey, “suggestion to you sweet one, be more vigilant of your surroundings around here. Someone is always on a coffee run.”

“good to know.” Extending her hand for introductions, “I’m Zoey by the the way.”

Ignoring her extended hand, she continues. “Zoey? You must be the new intern the loads of idiots around here have been buzzing about.”

Realizing her extended hand is a waste and it’s pointless waiting for the introductory handshake, Zoey folds her hands back down. “I must be, and you are?” Trying her hardest to stay polite, Gosh she’s snooty.

“Roxy,” She says as she brushes past Zoey yet again but this time, to leave. Stirring her coffee, “and I don’t do handshakes, I’m a germaphobe. You understand.” With that, she walks off leaving Zoey standing there speechless at the audacity!

*****  
Luca finally called it a day at 6pm and Zoey was exhausted. Mentor Luca is something fierce, a sort of regal commander, experiencing him like this is surreal.

“That will be all Ms. Johnson. You are dismissed.” Luca says with the first charming and flirty smile he’s mustered at her all day.

“It’s been an experience, thank you.”

Grabbing hold of his belongings in preparation to leave for the day, he curiously asked, “how so?”

Looking at a imaginary watch, “We’re done for the day, so, I’m now declaring it’s officially unprofessional o’clock.”

“It is.” Checking her out with a bite of his bottom lip, he walks over to her seat, hovering over her.

Looking up at him, she feels that familIar tingling in the pit of her stomach. “I gotta say, bossman Luca is not only dope, he’s a major turn on.” She bites her bottom lips too.

“Just trying to impact wisdom,” he bends over, bringing them face to face while trapping her to the chair.

“Consider wisdom impacted young sir Hall.” She pulls his face closer to hers, running her fingers through his free falling luscious Luca Locs as she likes to call them, pulling them away from his face.

“Hi gorgeous.”

“Stop being corny handsome.” She said giggling

“But you like corny.” Looking at her with stars in his eyes.

“I love it.” With that, He grabs her and kisses her for all he’s worth. His mouth plundered hers, exploring the depths of her sweetness, her hands twined in his hair as he pulls her up from the chair flush to him.

Before she knew it, Luca’s lips are pressed against her ear.

"I'm going to take you home," he whispers. "No more work talk... I want you in my bed."

She lifts his head up and kisses him again, “what are you going to do to me there, Young sir Hall?" She says teasingly through the daze of their kisses.

"Want a detailed list?"

"The more detailed, the better." She lowered her voice, "Dirty talk turns me on..."

The urgent knock on the door takes them completely out of the moment. They pull apart before Luca grudgingly answered, “come on in.”

The door opens revealing none other than a very agenda driven Roxy Andrews.

“Dismiss your intern, you and I have much to discuss lover.” Rudely barking out orders and not enjoying how close a proximity Zoey and Luca seem to be standing. She snaps her fingers at Zoey, “Hey you, evacuate.”

“Excuse me?” Zoey’s says lost as to why Roxy was in Luca’s space, making demands. So rudely too.

“You’re excused newbie, goodbye.” Roxy makes herself comfortable on one of the empty chairs in the office challenging Zoey to a stare off.

“Ms. Johnson, can you please give Ms. Andrews and I a minute?” Zoey stands unmoving looking at Luca in disbelief.

He lowers his voice pleading with her with his eyes in hopes that she’ll understand and not make the situation worse. “Please?”

“She comes in here, making rude demands and you’re kicking me out?” Zoey is visibly hurt?

“I’m not kicking you out I just need to ...” he sighs whispering close for her ears only, “I’ll meet up with you in the lobby in a little bit.”

“No, that’s okay,” she gathers all her belongings. “You take all the time you need with Ms. Andrews.” With a stern look, she walks out.

Fuccccck!!


	10. Chapter 10

*buzz buzz...buzzz ...buzzzzz... buzz* that’s the sound of Zoey’s phone going off for what feels like the billionth time, she picks it up aggravated.

“Tell me Luca, WHEN did you unlearn all your manners?! If I’m not picking up, it’s BECAUSE I DON’T WANT TO TALK TO YOU!”

“Woah! I don’t know what Luca did but am I glad not to be Luca right now.” 

“Shit Eric, I’m so sorry” Zoey sighs regretfully, “it’s been a crazy long day.”

“I hear that. I was going to head home but now I’m thinking I need to stop by?”

“Yes please.” Zoey opens the door to her apartment, flopping down tiredly on her sofa. “and not just because I need you but it’s been forever and I miss you.”

“You have been pretty neglectful for the last 2 to 3 days now, bad bad you.” Eric says in a tone Zoey is all too familiar with, letting her know he doesn’t hold anything against her.

With the first genuine smile on her face after the whole situation with Luca and “miss annoying fox”, she was actually looking forward to being in Eric’s company. “I’m expecting you. By the way, I’m ordering in, what would you like?”

“I can pick up dinner on my way in.”

“Nooo!” Zoey whines, “that’ll just make your trip here a lot longer, let me worry about the food, you just get yourself here.” 

“Alright, alright. But I want pasta and wine for dinner.”

“Perfect! and done.”

“I’ll see you in a jiffy.”

“Jiffy!” Zoey laughs making gentle fun of him, “okay grandpa.”

“I’ll see you in a Jiffy grand daughter.”

*****  
An hour earlier

Roxy sits opposite Luca looking smug as she watch Zoey storm out feeling very satisfied with herself.

“Now that she’s gone, we have much to discuss lover.” Aiming a determined glance at Luca, admiring him from head to toe.

Luca being unaffected pulls her up from her seat leading her out the door. “Roxy we have nothing to discuss. What you just did was not only professionally inappropriate, it was completely out of line.”

Once he’s successfully lead her to the door, “and I’ll very much appreciate if you stop coming in here making demands.”

“What’s the big deal? You were done for the day.” 

“What time I’m done is not for you to determine, now stop being a brat and go find someone else to torment. I gotta get out of here.” He grabs his phone calling Zoey in hopes that she’s waiting for him.

“A brat? Did you just call me a brat? I am not a fucking brat.” Roxy is offended but does her best to stay composed. 

“You came in here making all sorts of unreasonable demands, very rudely might I add, and now you’re whining about being called a Brat, tell me, what are you if not a Brat?”

“Why are you being like this? You seem so out of character. This new attitude of yours is perplexing lover.”

“Well you don’t know me and please stop calling me that!” loosing patience he reaches for his belongings, getting them ready to leave. She’s not picking up, he calls her phone again. 

“You’re a fucking asshole and it’s good to know. I thought we could possibly work things out for the betterment of our future together but unless you change this new attitude of yours, I don’t see how this can work.” 

“Roxy, stop acting mad obtuse and absent minded, we’ve been done. Our last conversation before you left last month was precisely about that, remember?” Luca states looking at her like the delusional freak she’s currently channeling. 

“Well, that was then, things have changed, and I’m saying it now, if you don’t change this new attitude of yours, I’m done with you.”

“Fine, be done or whatever, but just go. I have somewhere to be.”

She makes a move toward the door to leave and just when Luca was about to say a silent thank you to the heavens, she turns back in.

“Wait a minute, you’re done at six and you’re leaving exactly at six? No extra briefings or assignments after hours? Something’s def off.... plus you just told newbie you’d catch up with her in the lobby ... Oh my fucking GAh!”

“Roxy, sorry to say this but you’re talking way too much. Please, stop jumping to unfounded conclusions before your head explodes worrying about my life.”

“Bitch don’t flatter yourself, so you’re having sex with the new girl,” she shrugs, “I don’t care. I was gone, so technically you get a pass.” 

“what now?”

“it’s quite obvious to me you’re screwing the new intern, are you seriously going to deny it?” 

Luca stares at her with no response, ignoring her. All the while calling Zoey to no response, nothing she’s saying to him right now matters because all he want to do is go find Zoey. 

She was hopefully somewhere in the building waiting for him, his need to be with her again becoming overwhelming, he might be addicted.

“I will say, she’s a fast one, what’s this her second day here? Whatever, she can help herself to my sloppy seconds I guess.”

That actually made Luca laugh wholeheartedly. “Oh you have no idea.”

“Have your fun with little miss New new, just know that you and I are bonded together for life.”

“What the fuck do you mean bonded together for life?”

“It means exactly what I said, Daddy.” She whispers that last part with a mischievous smirk.

“Listen, brat is going to feel a lot like a term of endearment if you don’t stop talking to me in fucking riddles.”

“Okay, you want it straight up? Fine, I’ll give it to you straight up. I’m pregnant.”

Luca takes a long pause, “Congratulations Rox, I’m sure the father would love to hear it.”

“it’s yours lover.”

*****  
Trying to get herself ready and comfortable in time for Eric’s arrival, Zoey walks sluggishly into her bedroom. She switches on the light as she sits down on her bed, kicking off her shoes. She walks into her tidy bathroom and starts running the shower. 

Taking a quick glance at herself in the mirror while unzipping her skirt and getting out of her clothes, she starts thinking about him. 

Zoey is confused, She looks exactly the same but she feels different after their night together yesterday. Recalling the events of the evening sends a very welcomed chill down her spine.

Sex was no new language between her and Luca, in fact, it’s the one language they spoke quite well together and often when they were a couple but something about yesterday’s felt different. 

It feels more important than ever before, what she shared with him last night had been beyond the physical act of sex, she felt bonded to him all the way to her core in all the ways that matter. 

All through their year apart, she’d certainly been no angel and while that had been fun at first, being with him again just reminded her of all the good things in life combined into one sensation. She doesn’t want that feeling to ever go away again. 

As the steam from the heat of the water start to rise around her, she steps into the shower tub. The hot water starts running evenly down her body, “Luca” slips out of her mouth in a hush erotic tone, her mind singing he should be in here with me.

Why was she mad at him again? Ugh! Yes, she thought out loud, “Roxy the Fox” that snaps her out of her erotic trance “it’s not like I’m his girlfriend.” She bites back at herself bitterly. Back to the reality of their situation it is.

She feels the emotional exhaustion creeping up on her all over again, with a roll of her eyes, she turns off the steaming water and steps out of the shower to dry off. “Where is Eric already?!” 

Changed into her cute nighties and fully prepared for their night of relaxation, Zoey waltz back into the living room, she props down messily on her big comfortable sofa surrounded by plush pillows, she makes the call to their favorite restaurant.

*****  
The hard knock on the door snaps Zoey out of her tv induced trance. “Coming!” She sluggishly opens the door revealing Eric. “Hi babe!” She gives him a hug.

“Heyyyy” pulling apart and stepping in after her, Eric gives her a once over, “wow, the last time I saw you, you looked like a million bucks with a side of sunshine, I wanna guess what happened but...”

Zoey slouches sluggishly back under her faux fur blanket, the big sofa swallowing her small frame, getting comfortable, she tiredly repeats her earlier sentiment, “I’m so happy to see you babe.”

“That’ll be easier to believe if you didn’t look like the poster child for emotional beat down” Eric says as he takes a seat next to her on the sofa, “so what’s the plan? to lay around moping all night?” 

Zoey nods, “yep! That and hang with my bestie, eat lots of pasta and drink loads of wine.”

“Sound like the makings of a depressing evening.” Eric looks at her pitifully. “What the hell happened between this morning and tonight?”

“I ran into a woman that might possibly be the bane to my existence at Expression and Luca was of no help at all. How dare him!” She whines aggressively as she continues to flip through her Netflix queue.

“I don’t know this dude Luca whose penis you ran into last night but I can honestly say I’m glad not to be you right now. This dude’s got you acting up for years.”

Zoey directs her eyes at him and smiles at the memory of Luca. “It was sooo good too,” she admits with a goofy smile.

“See? Like I said, wouldn’t want to be you” Eric laughs whole heartedly. “But if it was so good, why’d you leave it and why are you so down?”

“Maybe it was too good.” Zoey says sarcastically.

“In what world?!” 

“In a world were crazy random women think they own him and disrespect me.”

“So, who’s the woman?”

“Ugh! Roxy the Foxy lady,” She says with a pout and eye roll, “who is quite possibly the rudest human being I’ve ever encountered! That woman is unbelievable!”

“Okay I’m not following, did she ruin the day or did Luca?” 

“She did and Luca made it worse.”

“So we’re mad at her for being a jezebel, and we’re mad at him for being the best you ever had?” Eric says jokingly. 

“That’s funny, truly, except you’re not wrong and I’m big mad about it. Luca is in fact the best I ever had,” she stresses with a tortured look. 

“That’s crazy considering some of the stories from the past year you told me, but I believe you.”

“I know, that’s saying a lot considering the past year and encounters I’ve had,” She recollects the past year dryly. 

“Took the term hot girl summer a bit too far maybe?” Eric heads toward the kitchen to pick up two wine glasses preparing for the arrival of their dinner “Had a hot girl year?” He continues his teasing on his way back toward her. 

Zoey grabs one of her lush decorative pillow from behind her and throws it at him. “Don’t make fun Eric! I’m being serious, I’m in big trouble here.” 

“It was that good, huh?” He says with a knowing smirk and wiggly brows

“Definitely,” She has a hearty laugh herself, “I mean sure I can make what that witch did the whole reason for being upset and storming out but the truth is, I can handle her and stand my ground if I need to, but it was the perfect excuse to walk away from Luca, last night was a lot more than sex.”

Eric sits back down on the spacious sofa, “when are we expecting our meal?”

“Shortly.”

“Good, I’m famished.” He leans back, continuing on their conversation. “So, you had a wild year...” 

“Yeah, and it was fun. Initially anyway, here’s the thing about all of this mess, if it were just about good sex it would be minutia, because I’ve had good sex with someone else, great sex even” 

“Lucky you.”

“All I’m saying is, this was on another level, heck, better than it was the first time around with Luca even.” 

“Legit?”

“Seriously, It was on some highly emotional and electrifying bullshit. Eric, Luca and I have always been good in that way but still it felt different last night and considering how serious I think he is about staying casual, all that mushy crap I felt can only lead to trouble.” 

“I get that, you don’t want to be in this alone,” he gently rubs her arms, “hon, you’re not being unreasonable.”

“I thought I could just wing it, but the whole thing with Roxy was a wake up call, as much as I’ve changed, one fundamental thing about me hasn’t, Luca’s too important to me.”

A knock on the door makes them both look up “delivery!” 

“Yay food! I’ll get it.” Eric rushes up to get it.

*****  
Lounged lazily on the sofa, Zoey and Eric enjoy their meals. “...this is quite possibly the best pasta I’ve ever had.” Eric says with a mouth full of pasta, “or maybe I’m just starved.”

“Nah, you were right the first time, they do serve the best pasta outside of Italy.” 

“So what do you think you want to do about your fella?”

“I don’t know just yet but I’m thinking anything casual with him is impossible. I know I hurt him the first go round but things are different now.” 

She takes a sip of her delicious wine, “honestly, I don’t regret our break up at all because it was time I needed to grow, to get where I am now, more sure about us than ever.”

“So tell him that, just be honest with him about all of it.” 

“He refuses to talk about it, he was perfectly clear about what he wants out of this the morning after and when he dismissed me for that thot.”

“Maybe if he actually knows you feel this strongly he’ll..”

“What? Change his mind?” Zoey shakes her head, “No, I don’t want him that way, I don’t want to be in love with someone that doesn’t love me just as hard and spends his time dismissing me to placate rude vixens that would literally go to war for him.”

“Now you just sound petty and jealous.” Eric teases playfully

“Yeah well..” 

“I get the feeling this will all have the epic ending you want. It’s a do over and this is just the beginning.”


	11. Chapter 11

Three weeks later...

Zoey sits opposite a very distracted and fidgety Luca, he is trying his hardest to concentrate on the topic of the day but somehow, sheer lining just doesn’t seem as important. 

Zoey and Luca have spent the last three weeks avoiding any talks or interactions that exceeds fashion at Expression, the silence between them getting worse each day until, “Excuse me, do you mind please moving that coffee cup a little further towards the end of the table?”

“Um, sure. That’s no problem.” 

Zoey is doing her best to take her usual notes but she is just as distracted as he is and that awful strong smell of the coffee Luca’s drinking isn’t helping. Coffee from the office station just doesn’t seem to agree with her sense of smell these past couple of days. “Thanks.” 

It’s been over two weeks of tension filled politeness, avoiding eye contact and painful carefulness to avoid any physical closeness to each other. 

Zoey was wiggled out at first when Luca didn’t mention the night before on their return to Expression the next morning, she hoped he would but she came to the conclusion that maybe it was all for the best after all and she chose not to fight him on it. 

That coffee smell was seriously upsetting her tummy, it was messing with all her other senses too, like her gag reflex. “Did you try something different with your coffee these last couple of days?” 

“Um, no... but Cecil did mention something about changing distributors” Luca looks directly at her for what feels like the first time in forever. Just her luck, the first time they make direct eye contact worth more than two seconds, he’s looking at her like she’s slowly loosing her mind. 

She looks down slowly, unable to handle his gaze without combusting on all the things left unsaid between them. “sorry, I’m not sure what’s happening exactly, but that particular coffee’s smell has been unsettling.”

“Coffee smell bothering you?” He chuckles softly, “you’re right, that is weird.”

“They must have tried something different with the new batch because I seriously can’t go near the coffee station.” She pouts, “and a day without coffee for Zoey Johnson, ...”

“is a day we do not claim.” They say in unison before making direct eye contact once again.

They both smile, he softly says. “I know, I remember.”

She tucks a soft ring of curl behind her ear shyly, involuntarily giving him one of her prettiest smile.

Lost in awe of her ethereal beauty “you’re so damn beautiful” slip out of him in a breathy tone before he could stop it. 

Sudden wave of nausea and emotional neediness washes over her, she looks at him vulnerably. “I know we’ve seen each other practically everyday, but I miss you.” 

“I know the feeling.” He responds just as vulnerably.

“Okay now I’m confused, how could you possibly miss me?” She gets up from her seat to move around restlessly. 

“It’s not Officially unprofessional o’clock.” He says carefully.

“Luca!” She stomps her foot.

“Okay, okay.” He puts his hands up as a sign of surrender and gets up from his seat to join her on the other side of the room.

“How could you have possibly missed me?” The hurt in her voice unmissable, “Luca you have spent the last weeks pretending nothing happened.”

“Zoey you don’t understand.” With a heavy sigh, he continues. “Something did happened, and if you know what it is... I have a feeling you won’t be missing me.” 

“What’s going on?” Her hurt tone turns into sudden concern.

“It’s bad Zoey, so bad. I’m still in deep denial myself,” he moves close to her interlocking their fingers

“Is this about Roxy?” she asks dreading his answer.

Luca clams up letting her know her suspicions are correct, she feels tears welling up her eyes, feeling emotionally overwhelmed.

“So what are you guys some sort of item?..” she moves away from him, creating some much needed space for herself. “I guess it makes sense, with the entitled way she barged in here that day...”

“No, no it’s not like that.”

“So you’re not involved with her?”

“Okay so it’s not, not like that.”

“Luca what the hell are you talking about?” Zoey feels herself getting heated, the left over wave of anger from their last fight washing over her. 

“It’s either you’re involved with her or you aren’t, there should be nothing confusing about it. You know what? It doesn’t even matter...”

A Knock on the door interrupts her venting. They both straighten up and apart to look as professional as possible.

“Come in.” Luca says, his intense gaze staying on Zoey.

“Hey lover, would you...” Roxy struts in.

“For fuck sakes!” Zoey exclaimed frustratedly. “Not this again!” 

“It’s good to see you too newbie.” Roxy says feigning politeness But the snare on her face proving otherwise.

“I gotta get out of here.” Zoey rushes off, feeling another rush of unfamiliar emotion washing over her.

Grabbing her gently by the waist before she could leave, Luca pleads with Zoey. “You don’t have to leave, please stay.” 

Facing Roxy, “Miss Andrews,....”

“Miss Andrews?” Roxy questions, offended.

“Is that no longer your name?” Luca asks mockingly. She rolls her eyes but remains silent. 

“I’m in the middle of a very important conversation, so if you don’t mind I’d really like to finish it, uninterrupted.”

“Uninterrupted? Nothing is more important than what I have to say right now and it’ll be to your benefit to listen. I am ...”

Zoey unable to handle her her raging emotions, feels a wave of nausea overtaking her. “You know what Luca, I honestly gotta get out of here.” She picks up her purse and rushes off.

Luca sighs in defeated before refocusing his attention back to Roxy. “What exactly do you want that couldn’t wait?”

“I am the soon to be mother of your child,” she rubs his folded arms, “nothing is more important than me.” 

Luca stares stoically at her, not uttering a word but internally regretting his life and choices where she’s concerned.

She continues with full intent on making him susceptible to her wants. “Now, about our upcoming weekend plans.....”

*****  
On her way to Cafe l'amour règne, Zoey calls Eric to meet her. During the car ride, she opens the window for some breezy fresh air in hopes it’ll help with her unsettled stomach.

“Bonjour” Patience, a Barista at the Cafe greets Zoey on her way in. She smiles politely back at her before making her way to her usual table with Eric.

Eric joins her shortly and they placed their orders. “I thought you said you and Luca were done?”

“I thought so too, but apparently we’re just doomed to never get through another conversation ever.” 

“So you just walked out on him yet again huh?”

“I didn’t know what else to do, I just couldn’t stand being there anymore Eric,” she sits back with a sigh, “I felt like I could break down right there in front of her and I refuse to give her that satisfaction.”

“Makes sense. At least he didn’t dismiss you this time.”

“No he didn’t, but what difference does it make? I’m just doomed to love him forever and him to never forgive me.” She whines dramatically, laying her head on the table.

“I know you’re currently emotionally fucked, but I need you to put yourself together babes,”

“I’m sorry, I don’t feel so great, I blame it all on missing my daily dose of caffeine. That new bash at work did not agree with my nostrils.”

“Maybe they tried something new.” Eric suggests, nonchalantly.

“I think so, apparently Cecil mentioned something about a new company making the delivery this week.”

“Well you can always get one here.”

“Eh, I’ll like to go home and get a good night sleep right about now. I can’t do that with coffee in my system this late.”

“Ready to head out?”

“Sure, we’ll take the sandwiches to go.”

“Good deal.” They head towards Patience at the register, “and remember, I’m only a phone call away.”

“Sure, if your date doesn’t go as planned right?” Zoey teases Eric about his Friday night plans.

“You know me so well.” He says with a smile and a wink.

*****  
Zoey lays comfortably in between all her lush pillows flipping through her Netflix queue and watching Eric get ready for his glamorous night out.

“I wish you wouldn’t dull yourself in like this for yet another weekend.”

“Nah, I’m good right here” She says with a goofy childish grin, “I prefer to Netflix and chill with myself.”

“Ooh wild woman!”

“Shut up.” She giggles, “look, this is the most comfortable I’ve felt all day without feeling like I’m going to puke, believe me, I’m good right here.”

Deciding on a subject change, Zoey decides on nosying in on Eric for a change, “so, how much fun do you think you’re going to have tonight?” 

“Who knows, I’m just going to go with the flow, no expectations” with a shrug he concludes, “it’s whatever.”

“You lie!” Zoey rises up a bit with laughter, “you are just scared to let yourself be excited, I know you are.”

“How do you know this?” 

“I’m clairvoyant.” 

Eric laugh at her silliness, “I’m happy to see you in better spirits than two minutes ago but that still doesn’t tell me how?” 

Zoey levels her eyes with his, with a mischievous squint, she says “I... just... know.” 

While laughing and having fun predicting how his impending night is going to go, a knock at the door interrupts them, “That must be Paul,” Zoey said.

“Taking this Clairvoyant thing seriously are ya?”

Zoey playfully bats her lashes at Eric, pulls the cozy covers of her fur blanket closer to her chin and snuggles deeper into the lush pillows as she resumes flipping through her queue. 

Eric moves towards the door, opening it, revealing a very dashing Luca Jae Hall at Zoey’s door. With flowers.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I must have gotten the wrong apartment.”

“Who where you looking for?”

“I was looking for Zoey Johnson, I thought this apartment was hers but again, I apologize.” Luca makes a move to leave.

“Well you’re in luck, this apartment does belong to a Zoey Johnson.”

“Oh, and you are?” Luca extends his arms and frowns up in confusion at this stranger, Zoey didn’t mention she was seeing someone, he feels like a fool. 

“Eric!? Why are you still at the door? What’s going on?” Zoey’s voice echoes loudly from the other side of the door.

Eric extends his arms back for proper introduction. “I’m Eric, and you are.”

“Luca.”

“I’ve heard so much about you.”

With a polite smile, Luca says, “I genuinely wish I could say the same.”

“It’s no problem at all.” Eric’s phone vibrates, a text from Paul lets him know he’s waiting out in his Limo for him. 

“Come on in, It’s nice to officially meet the face behind the name but I have to go.” Eric calls back at Zoey, “Luca’s at the door for you babe! I’m gone.” 

Zoey waltz lazily towards the door expecting to see Eric and Paul, “Are you leaving? Have fun babes.” Time stopped as she looks up seeing Luca standing at the doorway instead.

He smiles down at her and Zoey feels all her anger and fears from earlier melt away, replaced with pure joy, and she smiles wildly in return. 

*****  
After setting the “beautiful” flowers away on her kitchen counter, she led them toward her plush sofa covered in pillows.

“Sorry about this, I obviously wasn’t expecting guest.”

“It’s okay, I wouldn’t expect anything less, it’s very you.” He leans down, giving her a gentle kiss on her cheek. Careful not to step out of bounds but needing to be sure he’s not disrespecting anyone, he asks. “And Eric?”

“Just a very sweet and very gay best friend.” 

“Oh.”

Zoey lounges back down on her sofa and temporary bed looking adorable in the middle of all the plushly pillows. She pats a side of the sofa, “sit”

Luca takes a sit and looks up at the television, “Netflix and chilling with yourself kinda night huh?” She smiles at his memory of her habits. “So, What are we watching?” 

“I hadn’t decided yet, I was still fipping through the queue.” 

He nods looking back at her, “you look really comfortable.” 

“I am.”

“May I cut in?” He looks down at her bashfully waiting nervously for her response. He smiles when she holds up the edges of the cover up for him to join her. 

He kicks off his shoes and join her under the covers pulling her soft body close to his, he feels complete. 

“How did you find me?” she asked, her hand draws circles on his where he rested it gently against her abdomen.

“I am very resourceful you know.”

“I don’t doubt that, but I still want to know” wrapped in his arms and looking up fondly at his face.

“I took a really messy route, I looked up your address in one of your files at Expression. I’m sorry, boundary issues and all that.”

“I appreciate the apology but I think considering our special situation, this is one boundary you’re allowed to cross.” she says, tilting her head away from him a bit. 

Luca looks down at her face, then gently flips her down on her back and then leaned down to stare directly into her eyes. “We have no boundaries huh?” He teases with a sexy squint to his eyes that lets her know he’s got naughty intentions.

“Welllll I didn’t say that exactly” she giggles shyly, “and we do have plenty to talk about still,” through her Luca induced daze, she licks her lips as her eyes fall to his lips, it is so close to hers. 

“Definitely. I have so much to tell you about the last couple of weeks but first,” he smiles before lowering his head to capture her lips with his own. “So sweet.” He whispers fondly against her lips before resuming their kissing.

She smiles into their kiss as her hand comes up to wrap around his neck, she pulls him down deeper and deepens the kiss with a soft moan that makes his heart race into total submission.


	12. Chapter 12

Zoey woke up with a jolt, frowning as a wave of nausea hit her. She clumsily rushes out of the pillow filled cocoon she and Luca are nestled in, with her hand covering her mouth. 

Feeling like she would throw up, she raced to the bathroom, barely missing tripping over Luca’s legs as she did.

As she sprints toward the bathroom, her quick motion startles Luca awake. Groggily he sits up asking, “what’s going on?” 

Through his fuzzy vision, all he could make out was the back of her head sprinting into the restroom. 

He immediately stands up, worried. “You good Chief?” He calls out as he moves quickly toward the bathroom, after her. 

“Please don’t come in here,” Zoey’s voice muffles through the closed door. She closes her eyes as dizziness hit her next. 

“I don’t feel too good, I don’t want you to see me like this.”

“If you’re sick, I wanna help, I’m coming in.” He enters before she could protest any further. 

Zoey is crouched over the toilet bowl miserably clinging on for dear life and balance with her head nearly inside the toilet bowl. She stayed that way until she was sure it was over.

Kneeling next to her as she took deep breaths after throwing up what feels like the “entirety of her inner workings” according to Zoey, he rubs her back to calm her.

Once her breathing evens out a bit more she leans back into him. “I really didn’t want you to see me like this.” 

He holds her hair back, pulling her upward, “common, let’s get you cleaned up.” 

Feeling frail, she reluctantly stands up with his support, leaning completely onto him. With his help, Zoey unrobes, gets in the shower and gets thoroughly clean. 

*****  
Once showered and clean, Luca helps her into her robe, she makes her way toward the sink for her toothbrush. “Do you want me to get you something?” Luca asks, still worried about her. “like food or something...?”

“No! no food!” She exclaims with disgust. 

“You have to eat something, even if it’s soft or a liquid.” He says softly as he massages the back of her neck gently.

“I don’t gotta eat anything!” She cringes in disgust at the thought of food. “Matter of fact, I don’t want to smell any food for the next decade!” She exaggerates dramatically.

“That’s obviously not going to work.” He chuckles softly at her as he sits on the closed lid of the toilet bowl, knowing she’s obviously feeling better. “So, what do you think it is?”

“What do you mean?” 

“I mean, why do you think you threw up like that? ...Are you sick? Has it been happening ... orrr is it new?”

“I’m thinking I’m developing a reaction to something I’ve been having a lot of lately.” She squints, “it’s disheartening to know I might have to give some things up.”

“You sure?” He asks skeptically.

Seeing his worried face, she smiles at him tenderly and reassuringly. “Aww, ...you are so baby!” She teases, leaning into him to give him a sweet side hug. 

“As long as you’re fine.”

“I’m good.” She looks down into his eyes sweetly, “thank you for taking care of me.”

He smiles bashfully, “anytime.”

She lets go to rinse her teeth into the sink, “oh, and good morning.” She winks teasingly. 

And Just like that, she was back to being her regular bubbly self.

“I’ll make some coffee,” exciting the bathroom toward her kitchen.

“Eww! No coffee either!” Here we go.... he sighs, laughing.

*****  
“So, this is what you want to consume this early in the a.m.?”

“It’s the only thing that doesn’t smell like trash” she whines

“Fine, we’ll order some steak for breakfast,” He comply’s warily, “but I gotta admit Chief, this is weird.”

She giggles, “I know, but it smells so good here!” 

“Whatever you want.” He grabs a hold of her hand, giving the back of it a sweet kiss.

Luca and Zoey sit opposite each other at one of Zoey’s favorite restaurants to order meals from ~per her request~ comfortably trying to salvage what was left of their morning together.

“So,” Zoey begins, “what have I missed.”

“As in?”

“You told me there was a lot to fill me in on last night,” She gives him her most charming smile, “I’m all ears, fill me in.”

“Oh that...”

“Yes that,... did you think I forgot about the elephant in the room?” 

“Roxy.”

Zoey roll her eyes heavenward, “Yeah her, ..so, what’s good?”

“It’s really a very long and crazyyy story.” He cringes, immediately dreading the fact that he has to tell her.

“I’ve got time.” Her tone suddenly switching away from the sweet, calm and bubbly one from earlier, to sharp and unamused. 

He sighs, finally looking up from his drink, he goes straight to the point, “she’s pregnant and there’s about a fifty percent chance it’s mine.”

With raised unamused eyebrows, she squints. “Come again?”

“Yeah, it’s been fucked and I’ve had to deal with her shitty ...”

Still in shock, Zoey interrupts. “She’s pregnant?”

“Yeah she is,” he responds regretfully.

“And you’re not sure it’s yours?” 

“She is and it might be,” He cringes at the possibility.

“Okay so what the hell are we doing?”

Luca looks at her in complete confusion, “what do you mean?”

“I mean weirdo, why are we sitting here pretending the worst hasn’t happened?” She snaps, feeling her blood boil.

“I know it’s not exactly ideal but ...”

“IDEAL you say? ..” she responds mockingly, Upset, she gets up hastily, “Shit.. if you think I’m continuing this breakfast-lunch thingy whatever crap this is with you you’re dumber than you look.”

He quickly reflexes and grabs a hold of her arm before she could walk further away from their table. “Zoey...” with pleading eyes, “let’s talk this out calmly and rationally, please!”

“Let go of my arm” She retaliates, she finds herself boiling with unfiltered anger.

With his arms raised up in surrender, he let’s go, “I’m just saying we don’t need to create a scene. Nothing is confirmed, stop being dramatic please ..”

“Dramatic? .. I think this the exact amount of dramatic I need to be.” She huffs, in overwhelming unbelievability, “Do you understand the weight of what this means? ..you got someone pregnant Luca. That’s a fucking big deal.” 

“Allegedly...” 

“What?”

“She claims it’s mine," Luca said, "but nothing is for sure yet until we get some paternity tests done." 

Zoey finds herself dumbfounded and speechless, because her mouth opened again but no sound came out. She sat back down.

“I had been dealing with that for a lil minute, I didn’t know how to deal.... I absolutely want nothing else to do with that girl ever again, but if she’s carrying my child,” he sighs regrettably, “I have to do the right thing.”

“And what’s the right thing in this scenario?..” Zoey asks sarcastically.

“It means I have to actively do everything within my power to keep her in my life.”

“You mean like marrying her?” She found herself saying through broken words, she could really use a toilet bowl right about now as she feels a new wave of nausea acting up...

“She was going to leave but I stopped her, and we talked...” he chances looking into her eyes, noticing how puffy they’ve gotten without any trace of physical tears. His heart sank.

“So when you came over last night, getting under my fucking covers, kissing me and being all around smutty-Luca, you knew you had a pregnant girlfriend you absolutely can’t live without..”

Confused, he says. “Woah, woah, woah ..Um who said anything about girlfriend?, what part of what I said gave you that idea?”

“I don’t know, you thought I was being dramatic earlier....”

“I said I would do the right thing if the pregnancy turns out to be mine, which is still pending.”

"Well, at-least it all makes sense now. Why she felt entitled, why she wouldn’t stop disrespecting me.. I guess she had every right since I was the one trespassing on her territory?" Zoey questions angrily. 

“Wow Zoey, territory? I am not hers to claim, matter of fact, I am currently single and owe absolutely no one any explanations.” He quips, irritably.

“I was confused when I didn’t hear back from you, nursing all types of assumptions, and the craziest part is, even my worst assumption doesn’t come close to the reality.”

“So much was happening, I needed a clear head to figure some shit out. To make sense of everything she claimed, no distractions.”

“And of course I was the distraction. I get it now."

"Zoey you are not a distraction, stop putting words in my mouth, that’s a bit irrational."

“Oh so now I’m irrational? ...” she huffs again, “In one sitting, I’ve been told you knocked up a crazy ex, been called dramatic, distracting and irrational..”

Frustrated he interrupts, “there you go again, putting words in my mouth.” He sighs heavily, “I said,”

"I know what you said! How could you have been so careless and irresponsible with her?”

“I wasn’t..” Zoey could actually sense his confusion, “that’s the craziest part, I was Always careful with her.”

“Apparently you weren’t careful enough,..”

Offended by the insinuation, he asks. “What does that mean?”

“Come on, Luca, I barely know her and I can already tell you the kind of person she is. Don’t pretend you don’t know what a girl like that girl is capable of.”

“What are you saying?”

“She did it on purpose, to trap you in her web or whatever, a permanent connection, to get you to do what she wants. I bet she pulled the old 'Oh, Luca, I'm so alone, no one understands me' card, and you played right into it!"

“I told you, I was never not careful with that girl, ... but contraceptives can and do go wrong.”

"I know what you said! Bottom line is, you laid with a dog and now you caught flees.”

"I guess shit happens, at this point, I’ve accepted there was a mistake, a mistake that was fully mine! and I’m going to do whatever I can to work it out without beating myself up, I’ll handle mine and that's all that matters to me." 

Zoey was speechless again, as she looks at Luca as if she couldn't tell who he was anymore. 

While also realizing his determination to do the right thing was extremely commendable and she hates that she found it attractive.

"Wait, knowing all of this, when you came over to my place last night, what was your plan exactly?" Zoey asks. “To keep having no string attached sex with me while you nurse your pregnant girlfriend on the side?”

"I was kinda just hoping we could figure that part out together..." choosing his words lightly..

“Are you out of your mind?” 

“Probably,” he shrugs, “but I thought we had an understanding?”

“And you think that understanding still stands as is with everything you just told me?” 

“Honestly, I don’t know what I expected.”

Exasperated, she shouts! “Gah Luca! You literally spent days avoiding ME!”

“I was trying to figure everything out, to make things easier for ..”

"Her?..” she looks wounded! “So, protecting Roxy is more important than saving our relationship or whatever the hell we were?" Her tone was quickly escalating.

"Roxy is a lot of work BUT Zoey she’s still my friend! And I didn’t know there was a relationship to save.”

“Wow, I really don’t know who you are anymore,” she shakes her head in disbelief 

“You and I haven't had a relationship since we broke up, and we had an agreement!" He almost yelled.

The tone of the conversation had risen to the point where people at the other tables were looking at them. Luca sits back in his chair, observing a quiet Zoey as he takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.

"Look," he said, "I don't want to fight about Roxy. I was really stupidly hoping she wouldn’t factor into much because for me, baby or no baby, nothings changed...” he searches her eyes for clarity. 

“If you want to talk about you and me, then we can do that." He adds softly.

"You know she's in love with you."

"That’s what she says. But we're friends, just friends, and you're going to have to trust me on that."

“Not even that.” Zoey makes her final attempt to leave, the next thing she hears is the far away echo of Luca’s “wait” as she hits the floor with a loud ‘thud!’ 

Everything faded to black....


	13. Chapter 13

Zoey blinks blurry shadows as she struggles to get her vision back into focus. She faintly hears a voice calling her name... 

“Zoey can you hear me?”.... “someone get an ambulance please!”.... “water, give me some water!” 

“Luca..?” She slowly gets out as her vision resets.

“Gah Zoey! I almost lost my shit.” Relieved, luca hugs her close. “I don’t care what you say, we’re getting you to the hospital.”

“I’m not going to fight you on it this time.” She promises.

“Let’s get you to a car, can you walk on your own?” He asks, staring at her worriedly. 

She slowly pulls herself up with his help, “I think so, yeah. But gently.”

Luca helps her completely up, their argument earlier befalling a faded memory. They made their way into the car with Luca instructing their chauffeur to the hospital. “à l'hôpital s'il vous plaît” 

The French man seemed to understand the urgency of his words as he sped off towards the nearest hospital.

*****  
“I AM WHAT?”

“vous êtes enceinte madame” the Doctor politely repeats to Zoey and Luca who stands frozen next to her.

“Speak English dude!” Zoey snaps 

With sweaty palms, Luca responds “He said ..” he gulps, “he said you’re um.., ...he said you’re pregnant.” Looking just as in shock as Zoey is.

“vous êtes enceinte madame,” the charming elderly doctor reaffirms with a small smile, and with with a thick accent he continues. “I believe you Americans would say, you’re with child.” 

“Okay, I need a doctor that can properly communicate with me because no offense sir, you are talking crazy and I’m not sure of your competence at this job.” Zoey responds irritably. 

“Zoey...”

“Don’t Zoey me!” She fumes in Luca’s direction, “he obviously doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

“I assure you madame, there are no incompetent practitioners in this hospital.” The doctor picks up his clipboard file ready to leave the room, 

“I understand this is surprising news for you, I’ll give you two some privacy, a nurse will be with you shortly for your prenatal needs.” With that, he exits.

Luca only realized he was holding his breath when the doctor closed the door and he fell back on the chair behind him, hard. He sits still, struggling to breathe properly...

They both remain seated in shock and unmoving, before Zoey broke the silence. 

“Prenatal needs? ...Did he just say prenatal need?” She chuckles even though she found nothing funny of their current situation.

“This is absolute shit. Like the shittiest bullshit there ever was, like if there was shit, this crap is about one thousand percent more beneath it...”

“I get it Zoey! This shits!” He snaps as he interrupts, shocked and confused about the whole situation. 

Luca sits back, frozen, in hopes that whatever crazy universe he’s currently living in, where two women could possibly be carrying his ‘child’ would just disappear.

“How is this my fucking life?” He asks out loud.

“Excuse my French, but Pardon?” She asks, getting reheated.

Feeling disoriented, Luca barely registers her tone before he continues. 

“I’m saying how the fuck am I suppose to deal with two pregnant women at once?” He unloads, close to tears and feeling faint, “How is it possible that the cosmos aligned and this is what I deserve?”

She shakes her head in disbelieve, “I’m sitting here with an unplanned pregnancy by a guy that most likely definitely doesn’t want it, who infact might have just gotten another girl pregnant and you’re talking to me about what you deserve? ...are you crazy?”

“Excuse me?”

“How are you this unaware?” Zoey gets up from the testing table as she puts on the rest of her clothes. 

“Unaware of what exactly?” He rises up from his seat too. “Is this suppose to be some sort of happy occasion?”

She grabs her purse hurriedly as she moves past him to the door. She pauses before opening the door. Looking back, “It’s amazing to me.”

“What is?” He simpers out, still struggling with his breathing. 

She opens the door, he makes a move to follow. “You are saying all the wrongs things, how can a dude with so much of your usual sensibilities be a total and complete waste of space right now?”

“What?” Was all he could muster up as he attempted to get closer to her dumbfounded.

She shakes her head regretfully, “please don’t follow me.” She utters shakily as she exits with a slam on the door.

*****  
*brinnnngggg... brinnnnggg.... please leave a message after...* Zoey huffs frustratedly as she hangs up when her fourth attempt to reach Eric went unanswered. 

*It’s time to call my girls*.... she sighs looking out the car window on the long drive home.. she realizes she was long overdue for their talk sessions. 

The car came to a sudden halt, with the driver letting her know “mademoiselle, we are here.”

“Wow we really are. I had no idea.” She leans out of the car once the door swung open. “Merci Phillip.”

“de rien.” He shuts the car door behind her. “Please, take care of yourself mademoiselle.” 

“Will do, thank you again.” Zoey waves graciously as she makes her way into her building. 

*****  
Sulking, Zoey strips out of her clothes and got ready to get under her bed covers in record speed. She couldn’t wait to get to unloading on her girls, ...while pulling her hair into a messy bun, her phone buzzed. 

It was as if they knew exactly what she needed, their usual group video call buzzed in before she could call them.

As soon as she pressed the green button, their collective “heyyyyy” filled the room and her heart with wholesome and welcomed noise.

Seeing all of their faces on the screen, she cheerfully returns their “Heyyy”

“Bitch what happened?! We haven’t heard from you in a while.”

Zoey chuckles softly before responding, “never change Sky.”

“I missed you too bitch” she smiles before getting serious again, “no but seriously, what happened?”

“Yeah what happened? We were getting worried over here.” That was Anna

“I told their asses we just needed to budget some time and fly out there to see your ass.”

“Hey Jazz” chuckling yet again as she realized this was the normal she needed now more than ever.

“Hey bitch,” Jazz says in her special Jazz way before Nomi chimed in.

“I just want to know if you’ve actually tried Paris weed.” She spaced out happily, “I need to know if Luca was right.”

At the mention of his name, Zoey’s good time bubble busted and they all noticed the sudden tension.

“Why do I feel like we just walked into a civil war?”

“Because you just did Anna.” Zoey says

“Woah, I was joking before but what happened?” They all settled down to listen intensively.

“He’s here.”

“He who?”

“Oh shut up Nomi and follow the damn story.” Sky shoots at her, “she’s obviously talking about Luca.”

“Oh! Oh, okay. Carry on..”

“I ran into him the day I began the internship” 

“What? How? and how come we’re just hearing about this?”

“He goes there apparently, and let’s just say he’s sort of my boss.” She rolls her eyes, intentionally withholding information.

“I get seeing him would be hard but it doesn’t explain your current state of displeasure.” Nomi says

“Oh no, girl is he acting up? Cause we can level up.”

“Jazz how are you going to do that over the telephone all the way across the Atlantic.”

“I don’t know how, but if it’s serious enough, I’ll find a way.”

“Jazz please... “ Anna interrupts, “Zoey you need to actually enlighten us here. What is the problem? Is he giving you a hard time?”

“A hard time, a bad time, plus a whole bunch of extra shit I didn’t ask for..” Zoey mumbles as she spaces out

“Girl, you are talking in codes, we need you to talk direct.” Sky says, confused.

“That’s the problem, I’m still so in shock, I can’t repeat it.”

“How are we suppose to help you if we don’t know what problems Luca supposedly caused?”

“More like a problem we both carelessly and unintentionally caused, .... I kinda sorta just found out tonight..” she sighs shakily and heavily, “there’s a pretty high chance you’re all going to be aunties.”

“Say what now?”

“Come again?”

“Wait, what?!”

“How did that happen?” The girls all say simultaneously ...

Zoey falls sloppily into her plush sofa. “Like I said, dude gave me plenty I didn’t ask for.”

“Okay but why didn’t you tell us ya’ll was back together?” Sky curiously interrogates.

“Because we’re not.”

“I’m confused..”

“There is nothing confusing about it Ana, she and Luca obviously got their freaky sneaky on and she thought we’d never have to find out and BAM!, Baby said not on my watch!” Jazz said lightheartedly. 

“Could you please not refer to it as a ‘baby’ yet?” Zoey grimaces at the thought.

“Okay fine, a little swimmer said then? But like it or not bitch, you’re carrying a baby.”

“So wait, does Luca know?” Anna chimes in

“He knows.”

“Okay, what was his reaction?” She asks, gentler this time

“It was probably my worst nightmare actualized.” Zoey says, as she feels the tears well up in her eyes

“Wait! That fool rejected the baby?” Jazz says, enraged.

“No, no... well not exactly yes either,” with shaky breaths, she continues... “it’s all just really confusing because he didn’t say it but his disappointment couldn’t have been clearer..”

“Wow”

“Yeah, and I get it you know, I do, his position is worse than mine, I’m not exactly thrilled or ready for any of this either and I wouldn’t be able to be there for him right now because he needs the support more than I do but it still hurts!” She rambles 

Zoey feels the tears flowing freely now. “Great, Now I’m officially the emotional pregnant lady in the group.” 

“Hate to break it to you but that’s not exactly new,” Nomi says with a nonchalant shrug, “except the pregnant part.” 

“Anyway, why is Luca’s position worse than yours? I’d assume yours was.” Ana quarries, confused 

“Long story, not exactly mine to tell so I won’t.” Zoey moves towards the kitchen to make herself a snack. “Isn’t it funny how you find out you’re pregnant and suddenly you have cravings?”

“Can’t relate.” Jazz and Sky said in unison

“Good.” 

They all chuckle lightheartedly until the reality of their earlier conversation shone on them again.

“I still can’t believe you’re going to be a mom.”

“I’m still very much considering my options on that.”

“Well Jesus would want you to do the right thing.”

“And what is the right thing Anna?” Zoey quarries sarcastically 

“Whatever you do, keep that baby.”

“Look I’m pro choice,”

“I’m pro whatever makes her comfortable and happy.” 

“So, pretty much pro choice then?” Nomi mockingly responds to Sky.

“Call it whatever you want... now, Zoey, we need the full deets.” sky leans forward, whispering on camera as if to jump out of it.

“I just can’t bring myself to talk about that dude anymore tonight...” Zoey responds, her voice tired and laced full with resentment. 

“The fool didn’t reject the pregnancy or something else equally as bad right? Cause this is making me really consider that crossing the Atlantic thing forreal.”

“No Jazz, that won’t be necessary.” Zoey smiles softly as she makes her way toward her bedroom, “but thanks for looking out fam, I miss you guys so much right now”

“So what’s going to happen now?”

“I don’t know, I can’t think of anything right now, I need to just sleep on it and hopefully by tomorrow morning something will feel real again.”

“Zoey, Whatever this is worth, we will always have your back, no matter what you decide.”

“Yeah,” they all agreed in unison.

“And that means the world to me, I love you all so much! Goodnight” 

“We love you!! We’ll call tomorrow.”

“Goodnight.” Was all Zoey heard before her phone went blank. Immediately feeling alone, she reaches for her bed cover and snuggled in tight. 

With Luca occupying her every thought before drifting off to sleep. Zoey hated the fact that after everything they went through that day, he is the still the one she wants snuggled in with her, holding her, preferably while telling her “everything is going to be alright”. 

But alas, he is no where in sight. She finally drifts off into a deep slumber, hoping tomorrow would bring about a proper solution to her current predicament.


	14. Chapter 14

Zoey pulled up to the main entrance at expression, determined to be brave and remain hopeful she’ll get through the day as easily as possible, but after the way she and Luca left things, she wasn’t very optimistic. 

“Good morning Zoey,” Cecil greeted her politely. “Crystal lab is closed down today, you’ll have to detour temporarily to another building.”

Concerned, she asks, “why? What happened?”

“I would love to sit here and fill you in on all the crazy details, but Young sir Luca is expecting you imminently, and he is in no mood for pleasantries.” 

“Just great.” Zoey muttered under her breath, “did he happen to mention why?” Zoey asked cautiously....

“Nothing, he just came in this morning, a strange sour puss and the incident didn’t help,” She handed Zoey her daily file, “there you go, ...I’d advice you to go straight over there.” She pointed toward the adjacent building.

“Sure, can I please get the room information?”

“Not necessary, take the elevator up to the third floor, it opens straight into the studio” Cecil smiled before concentrating back on her data entries 

Zoey nodded her understanding and took her leave. “Good luck with that grouch today,” she heard Cecil calling after her.

....Great, .... just great, Zoey thought on her way up the elevator, unsure of how she’s going to deal with everything. She also couldn’t help wondering what could have happened to Crystal Lab....

The elevator door opened with a loud and peculiar ding... “we’re definitely not at expression anymore” ...Zoey thought, looking straight ahead and seeing no one.

She exited the elevator, moving into the spacious loft size studio “hello?... anyone here?”

“Just take your seat!” Came a belligerent and booming voice from the other room, Luca made his way toward her

“Good morning to you too.” Zoey whispered angrily, resenting having to learn anything from him already

“Today’s lesson is...” Luca began, straight to the point. No pleasantries, he barely looked her directly in the eyes and for that Zoey was at least grateful. It made being mad at him a lot more easier.

A couple of hours into their tension filled lesson, Zoey excused herself to the restroom

“You know the rules,” he responded to her request in a grouchy tone. 

“Are you serious?” Zoey responded back with an irritated tone of her own, “I’m literally in need of a bathroom break and your response to that is ‘you know the rules?’”

“Well you do!” He sat down grudgingly, facing away from the archaic chalk board he had to manage drawing on manually for the day’s lesson 

“I don’t know what crawled up your ass, but I’m going to the restroom,” She got up to leave, “I hope the all powerful mentor won’t give me a failing grade,” She said sarcastically as she waltzed out of the room toward the lone restroom on that floor.

******************************  
It was a long day of Luca being emotionally distant, Zoey doing all she could to pay attention to his teachings as he was barely impacting any wisdom, but she took notes anyway and refused to ask any questions. 

The worst of it all was Zoey doing her best to keep her breakfast settled in her stomach... the feeling of nausea becoming overwhelming. 

Added to that, was how congested she was, she almost needed to keep hacking her brain to talk. Yet; not once had he mentioned the elephant currently baking in her womb.. Zoey was determined to not let it bother her.

By the time it was time to leave, Zoey was all too ready to get out of there. She could count how many times he was unnecessarily spacey and rude all while not asking how she was doing and that was one hand too many

“So are we back in the lab tomorrow or...?” She chanced one question, wanting to be sure before leaving, she decided the less she had to communicate with him after working hours the better 

“We will be in here for the foreseeable future.” He responded dryly...

“What? Why?” Zoey was flabbergasted, she genuinely needed to know what happened at that point

Truth be told, Crystal Lab went down yesterday because Roxy decided it was appropriate to demonstrate some very destructive temper tantrums on school property after Luca let it slip he might be an “impending father of two.”

Roxy felt “common”, “less important” as if this were a predicament Luca wanted to be tangled in with her at any point in his life, ... 

Luca thought he could go in to work after hours when everyone had evacuated from the premises, in hopes that working on some new sketches would help get his fight with Zoey off his mind, Roxy bombarded him instead. He was unsure how she knew he’d be there.

That was the condensed and straight forward version of the story. However, he went for the short and trivial version. “The lab was compromised,” he said, very short, leaving out the crazier details 

“How? and by whom?” 

“None of that matters,” he snaps, very tired. “all that matters is, we were instructed to use this facility for now until further notice. I know you can’t help yourself but Zoey please, don’t badger me any further on this.” 

His professionalism and future at expression was being called into question due to Roxy’s transgressions and he was fuming! He had two possible kids on the way and she chose to gamble with his future? Unbelievable! 

He felt like he was going to combust into pieces. “Why did I ever get mixed up with that woman!??” His mind wondered...

“Fine, since you asked so politely,” completely done with his sour mood, and finding it hard not to take it personally, she picked up her belongings and left for the day without another word. Jerk! 

***************************  
After the day she just had, Zoey only had enough energy to drag herself into bed with the bucket of ice cream she had left in the refrigerator.

After grabbing a spoon, she pulled the bucket of milky caramel flavored ice cream close, with a dramatic sigh, “Haagen Daaz, my sweetest love” she play cried, staring intensely at the tub on her way into her bedroom 

As soon as she got comfortable in her pjs and lounged lazily under her comforter with the ice cream,

*knock* *knock* at door...

Groaning, Zoey sluggishly pulled herself out of bed, wondering who could be knocking on her door this late, she didn’t order anything ... maybe Eric was back, “I’m coming!” She announced

She opened the door, revealing a frantic Luca, pacing on her doorstep. “What the?”... he barged in before she could invite him in

A puzzled Zoey began a line of questioning, “um.. hi... what are you...” Zoey 

He was still Pacing, ...he suddenly cut her off. “How can you be this unreasonable?” He questioned agitated.

She looked at him as if he had two heads, “You stopped by my apartment to yell at me about being reasonable?”

She took a reluctant step toward him, “... I am pregnant with a baby that you’re responsible for, and you haven’t even bothered to ask me how I’m doing all day, and you think attacking me twice today for no reason is adequate? ... in my home? what the hell is wrong with you!?” 

“You have no idea the kind of day I’ve had Zoey,” he kept pacing, restlessly, ..frantically. Maybe she needed to start worrying about his mental state, she realized...

He carried on, “we had just found out what was possibly the scariest news of both our lives Zoey, and you chose to selfishly ...” however, the more he spoke, the more she felt herself incapable of being reasonable.

“You think I care at this point what kind of day you’ve had? and how dare you talk to me about selfishness, in fact, why the hell are you even here?” Zoey felt herself boiling at him

Before he could respond to that, his phone rang, interrupting them. With a brief look at his phone screen, he realized he had to pick it up.

“Excuse me,” He said as he picked up the phone, his eyes not leaving hers, did he come here to pick a fight? She wondered...

“yes?!” He yelled into the phone... Zoey was moments away from rudely throwing him out regardless of who was on the phone before she saw the dramatic way he almost fell back, loosing his balance.

Her reflexes pulled her quickly toward him, she steadied him. With a blank look on his face, he stood frozen. 

“Hey,” she softly called out to him, her earlier anger dissipating, she pulled him out of his trance. “Is everything okay?”

It took several silent moments before he finally found his voice, “No.” was all he said before turning around in preparation to leave.

Zoey not being able to stop herself from caring, grabbed on to his arm, pulling him back. “Don’t you dare walk away from me Luca Jae Hall!...” she turned him back around. 

He looked so lost, “at least not before telling me what happened. What’s got you this shook?”

He took a deep breath before giving in, “that was Carrie, sweet old lady Betsy’s niece, she told me...” he took a pause 

“She told you what Luca?” 

“She died Zoey,”

“What?” It was Zoey’s turn to be shaky, Luca held her steady

“Last night, she passed away... they’re having a memorial service for her tomorrow.”

“I’m ...” She was out of words, only tears flowed. “I mean ..I know I barely knew her but that old lady was so kind and generous with her time and ...” she stuttered and messily cried through her words 

“I know, she’s played such a major role in my life this past year, I just can’t believe I never got to say goodbye.” With misty eyes, he barely made out his next words, “She owed me a fucking goodbye!” That last part came out in his loud voice 

“Easy..” She said softly through her tears, still holding on to him

“is that unreasonable of me?” He asked, his voice filled with sorrow. 

She kept gently rubbing his arms, “of course not, she was important to you.”

Still in a daze, he barely reacted. “I have to go to the service tomorrow.”

“I’m coming with you.” She said firmly, letting Luca know he had no choice in the matter, he couldn’t refuse. 

“Okay.” He said somberly, barely present. “I’ll text you the address.” That was his last words as he left her standing there, alone.

*****************************  
People gathered around the room, some talking, others sitting quietly, everyone equally heartbroken. The post burial, ceremony carried on.

Luca felt like a zombie, he wasn’t sure how the rest of the people in the room planned to fully function or move forward without her but he was sure he probably never would.

“Everyone seems to be handling this healthily,” Zoey commented as she observed the silent hugs and kisses going around

“It’s blasphemy, is what it is.” Luca felt irrational! How could they not feel as broken as he felt? Was it because they all got closure and he was left with the last fading memory of the last time they spoke? 

How could he have not tried harder to go see her when he didn’t see her around anymore?.. Luca knew why, and that got him upset all over again... so many other distractions! “I should have tried harder to see her.” He lamented, 

“Luca don’t do that to yourself.”

“I bet she’d have all the answers to my current predicament. She always had the answers, she ...” he felt himself shaken up again.

Zoey laid a comforting arm on his shoulder, hoping to help ease the weight of his tension. “I know..”

He snapped! “You know?! How could you Possibly know anything about how I’m feeling right now?” He shrugged his way out of her comforting arms.

Noticing several eyes on them, she calmly tried to rectify his outburst, “Luca, I get that you’re hurting, but look around you, no one is exactly having a great time either.” She calmly said.

“Could have fooled me,” He said, fully in irrational mode

“I’m not saying I know exactly what you’re going through, but I know what it means to loose someone that’s important to you, it’s the worst feeling in the world regardless of who they are as long as they are important to you.” She continued talking in a soothing manner in hopes that he would calm down with reason. It seemed to be working when his shoulders visibly relaxed, “I’m also saying you’re not the only one affected by this, everyone showed up because she made an impact on their lives, you’re going to have to find a way to contain your upset, be a bit more dignified...”

“You have no idea what or how i’m feeling,”his relaxed shoulders tensed back up..

“Maybe not! But I know you’re not the only one going through something, we’re all in this. We have so much other shit going on too, can’t you just try to relax!?” 

“And how do you suggest I relax, by making everything about myself? It is the Zoey Johnson way after all isn’t it?” 

Hurt, she finally gave up, “you’re doing a fine job of that already but no, I expect you to know you have one more time to talk to me crazy before we both get stupid irrational.” 

That seemed to calm him down a bit, “Zoey..”

She felt her emotions pouring in thickly “You know what, ...excuse me!” She bursted into tears as she stormed out of the room 

Realizing how far he messed up, he ran after her....

****************************  
“How are you?” He gently asked as she made her way out of the restroom, the look on her face scaring him into silence

“I just threw up the entirety of what I believe is my gut, but other than that ... I'm just dandy.” She very shortly said. sarcastically, Dismissively

“I’m sorry about earlier, I’m in a fucked up headspace ...”

“Luca we just found out the most life altering news of our lives, and all you have done ever since is think about yourself.” She said tearfully and straight to the point, “no, the way you have chosen to respond to all of this is not comforting and it is not okay!” 

“Zoey, I’m obviously not handling this well, I just need time to process this!” The pain apparent in his tone and his whole face 

“Well, ... then take all the time you need.” Her nose flares up in anger 

“Why can’t you be reasonable about this? You know how hard this is for me.” He was close to tears

“Of course I do, how can I forget? You are fathering the entirety of the next generation of humans, no?” She said sarcastically, 

“Zoey,” he warns 

“I know this is hard for you, I get it, I hate that this is happening to you at all,” she sighs, “I can’t even begin to imagine how scared you must be but that’s still no excuse for you to be a shit head“

He looked down, shamefully...

“every part of me wants to hold you until you feel better but I can’t do that because I am in this too.” 

Luca stood still, he looked so frail and scared. Zoey had never seen him like that.

“Neither one us have any of the answers, but Luca this is not us! We are unraveling when we should be our most united and that scares me more than anything. I feel like I don’t even know you anymore.”

She was angry again, it was getting harder and harder to keep up with all the spectrum of emotions she’d gone through in the last hour

“You were careless enough to get multiple women pregnant at once!? Who are you suppose to be exactly? The second coming of future?”

“Future? Seriously?!” He actually laughed

“This is serious!” She definitely looked serious, “I can’t believe I’m pregnant, shit I can’t believe I’m pregnant with your baby, even more shit!...”

This time, she got close, “I can’t believe I have to rival another woman for your attention while going through this very confusing and scary time.”

He looked back down in shame again, not knowing what to say to make this better for her, “I genuinely have no idea what to say to make this alright,” he pleaded with his eyes

“It doesn’t matter, it’s all tainted now. Nothing you say will make this better.” A single tear rolled down her face, “What I needed from you was comfort,” oh shit, she was fully crying now.... “

“Zoey ....”

“Be quiet! I’m not finished!”

He nodded in silent agreement, unable to hold her gaze, his head turned back down, he stayed quiet.

With every upset emotion driving her, she was she dug in... “When we broke up, I went through so many phases, and sometimes I was okay because when I tried hard enough, the many distractions I created for myself in your absence did actually do what they were suppose to do,” she took a deep breath, staring intensely at him standing pitifully in front of her, not uttering a word

“... but most days I spent it regretting ever hurting you..” she sniffled down a deep breath before continuing....

“In the midst of all that distractions, I realized something, I realized you were it for me... Luca, when I’m happiest you’re the person I want to share it with, equally when I’m sad and upset, you’re the one I want holding me,”

She moved closer to him, still enough space divided them ... “and I vowed that if I was ever lucky enough to be given the chance to make things right with you again, I would do everything I can to keep you.”

With that, he rose his head back up, looking directly into her eyes again. 

“But you know what? I don’t want you like this,” she stepped back, “that kind of codependency might be okay for a fully functioning adult, but it’s no good for a child when this kind of emotional instability is what’s at the receiving end of it.” 

“What are you saying?” He finally croaked out, confusion leading him 

“I’m saying, I’ve held on to that dream of you and me in hopes of rebuilding what we had, but it pains me to finally accept that it’s just not the same anymore.” 

“of course it’s not the same anymore, we’re different people now, we’re older..” 

“It couldn’t be more clear that we are different people now, and you know what? I’ve seen enough.” She gave up internally, “I will do this on my own. I.. no, WE, don’t need you.” 

With those words, tears clouded up his eyes, “I’m loosing my mind already Zoey, please don’t do this to me... I want to be there for you, I never told you I wouldn’t be.” He said, firmly

“I’m sorry you feel that way, truly I am.” She told him sincerely, “however; if what you've shown me these last few days is YOU now, I stand by what I said, I really do believe this is what’s best for me, I don’t want you to..” she takes another shaky breath

“I don’t understand where this is all coming from,” he said, more confused than ever

“I can’t raise my child on a foundation of hurt and disappointments Luca! and let’s be real with ourselves here, that’s exactly what will happen when I need you for our child and you can’t show up because you have an obligation to another that’s got you unstable emotionally because you’re overwhelmed with the back and forth.”

“So you want to raise our kid in a world where he or she is not allowed to know their father because you resent another kid?” While he doesn’t want to hurt Zoey further, Luca couldn’t help but feel he had a right to fight her on this “I am not willingly going to stay away from my kid Zoey!” He warns

“I don’t resent an unborn child! Heavens knows his or her parents irresponsible activities is not their fault. All I can do in this scenario is take care of me and mine, and I choose to protect my child from a world of pain and resentment.”

“You don’t think keeping our kid away from me is living in a world of pain and resentment? that it will hurt he or she more than me maybe missing a few appointments here or there?” 

“I didn’t say you had to stay away, I said I am raising my child without any dependence on you! I don’t know how that’s going to work, but I can’t worry about that right now. All I know Luca is I want to raise my child....”

“Our CHiLD Zoey!”

“MY child!” She barks back, “in a world of stability, where with or without your input, he or she will not lack.”

“Wowwww... just wowww,” he looked so hurt and she hated to see him like that, but she had to stand her ground. “You’re punishing me for Roxy?...” now his nose flared up angrily, “You can’t keep me away, I won’t let you.” He vows, determined.

“I never said you couldn’t see the baby when it’s born, I just refuse to need you.” She says sternly, 

He took a deep breath, feeling stuck and scared again, his bravado watering down, “Zoey this isn’t fair.”

“Well, I’m sure your second baby mama will need you plenty.” Her sharp tone bit, hard! “Now please take me home, I am exhausted.”

“Fine, I’ll take you home but this is definitely not over.” He concluded before leading ahead toward the parking lot. 

Feeling drained, she sluggishly followed.


	15. Chapter 15

Luca pulled up to the curb of Zoey’s building, the long drive back there was tension filled with uncomfortable silence. He put the car on park and she immediately got out.

Frantic, he stepped out after her, “Zoey wait!”

She sped up her steps, refusing to respond to him.

“Zoey please…” he grabbed her arm as he caught up to her

She halted, “Luca I am tired, I want to go to bed. If you don’t know what that means in pregnant lingo, that’s what happens to a person when they are creating a whole life.” 

“Okay.. sooo.. you’re still pissed?”

“what gave me away?” if looks could kill, Luca was pretty sure the one she was currently spotting would be the one.

“I know I’ve handled this the worst possible way,… that’s on me, but I promise you from this moment on, I will do better.”

Zoey felt herself softening up at the way he was looking at her, knowing nothing would make her happier than one of his sweet cuddles, but it wasn’t that simple. 

“I’m sorry.” He added softly,

She didn’t know why, but she knew she couldn’t let him off the hook. Maybe it was pregnancy hormones but she really didn’t feel emotionally generous at all,

“see you don’t get it, and until you understand the full weight of what’s happening here,” she motioned between the both of them, “this will only become redundant.”

“I’m standing here, promising you to do better Zoey,”

“funny enough Luca, I believe that,” she turned back around, giving him full eye contact, “I believe you want to do better because I’ve never known you to be less at anything you consider your responsibility.”

“Okay so…?” he asked, confused

“so, my baby and I are not some assignment for you to just do, this is not an experiment, this is not art class or fashion lab or one of the other many things you consider yourself a ‘genius’ in …”

“I don’t follow…” he was till so confused, waiting for her to get to her point

“I’m saying, I’ve only had two days to think about this ~we both have~ but I have been thinking about it a lot,” she sighed heavily, “raising a baby is not something that just comes easily sometimes, even to the worlds biggest genius’, it’s a different beast entirely from what we naturally excel at,…sometimes.”

“I know that Zoey, why do you think I’ve been so messed up? it’s all I can think about.” he felt his heart rate speeding up again, his anxiety level raising close to unbearable degrees.

“sometimes we get lucky and we do it right, but Luca this baby, changes everything... your life as you know it, your plans and somehow you not only have to be happily okay with that, you still have to selflessly love and care for this person who is fully responsible for this alt to all of your plans. It’s doubly crazy for you, I mean, are you okay with that?..” she looked at him expectantly, “.. are you ready for that?”

He remained silent for a few seconds before braving a response, “it doesn’t matter what I’m ready for, I have to take care of my responsibilities. I know It’s doubly crazy for me because I have to be responsible for two of those little things, I have to worry about how the fuck I’m suppose to raise 2 human beings at once without fucking them up and everything that comes with being me, but all I can do right now is promise to be better,” he sighed, so very tired, “that’s all I got”

“Exactly, this is real human life, and I’m glad you’re fully thinking about your position in all of it but unfortunately, there are no ‘my bad’, or ‘oops maybe next time’ allowed here, it’s a commitment, a lifetimes worth. How we handle this shapes a human being, I need you to be sure you want to be a part of this, a full part of this then maybe I can reconsider but until then…”

“until then what?” his said, his eyes crying out for help..

“Go figure it out for yourself Luca, I’m not your life guru.” she sighed helplessly as she let herself into the gate, leaving him standing at the curb, contemplating what his life has become.

*************************  
“SURPRISEEEEEE” came the booming voice of the crew as Zoey opened the door leading into her living room.

Zoey squealed out in delight at the sight of Eric, Nomi, Jazz, Skye and Ana. “Oh my goodness!” she screamed as they all rushed over for a big reunion group hug.

They all squealed and laughed happily at the sight of each other, “ya’ll almost gave me a heart attack!”

“I take full responsibility for that one babes,” Eric boasted, “so, ....you’re knocked up!”, he jested

“yeah, about that…” Zoey laughed awkwardly, “It’s been a crazy 48 or so hours and I have been trying to reach you! where have you been?” she playfully punched his arm

“Ow! …I’ve been busy planning a trip for four as you can see young lady.”

Zoey gasped, genuinely surprised and happy, “you’re responsible for all this?” she felt the beginnings of happy tears clouding her eyes.

“Girl, the moment I couldn’t get a hold of you overnight, I knew it was time for the girls to fill in, …so I reached out to the people from your list and well the girls and I got to talking and bonding, then viola!”

“this is the best gift,” happy tears was freely flowing at that point, “thank you.” she reached over, giving him a hug.

“okay okay! what are we? sun dried tomatoes?” Skye cuts in, 

“the saying is ‘chopped liver’” Ana injected, giving her a weird look

“Girl Skye always changes it to sun dried tomatoes,” Jazz said dismissively 

“what? why?” Zoey and Eric asked in unison, before looking at each other and laughing at their unplanned uniformed moment

“because I happen to enjoy a very well sautéed chopped liver and hate sun dried tomatoes? …I mean its just common sense.” Sky gave them a duh! look

“you enjoy chopped liver?.. you move different don’t you?” Eric inquired carefully

“it’s the only way to be.” Skye responded proudly

shaking her head laughing, “I missed you guys so much!” Zoey belly laughed as she moved back over to them for another group hug.

“We missed you too!”

“I can’t believe I finally get to try Paris weed!” Nomi said, excitedly, “…we need to find Luca asap!” at the mention of his name, Zoey clammed up. Everyone dismantled 

“Nomi, you had one job!” Ana exclaimed. “One job!”

“No no, it’s okay Ana. Nomi’s just excited, she’s allowed to be.” Zoey gave her arm a gentle squeeze, “we all know Luca’s her guy… although good luck trying to get him excited about anything right now.” she tried to lighten up the mood

“still, I’m sorry for being insensitive,” Nomi braved a question, “how are you guys? any changes?” …..

Zoey sighed, “It’s a lot! and I promise we’ll get into everything, but first, get cleaned up and let me feed you all.”

“awww look at big Zozo being a mama bear already!” Ana woo’d

“mama Bear, that’s me..” Zoey murmured with a realization, quietly to no one in particular as they all rush to freshen up.

*************************  
The rest of the evening was spent staying up, ordering meals, and camping out comfortably on the large living room plush sofa. 

“so, we’re all ears, start spilling…”

Zoey replayed the last 48 hours of her life while they grubbed down on several Italian dishes and Zoey’s new favorite, Caramel flavored ice-cream for desert.

….“Girl why are you letting this Roxy chick win? Why are you giving up without a fight?” Jazz asked as she lazily leaned back on the sofa.

“what’s the point of fighting? all my energy needs to be on the baby and that’s that.” Zoey dismissed. 

“yeah, but I thought you love him? And the whole point was to fight for him no matter what right? you said yourself he was it for you, what changed?”

“what changed is I wasn’t about to be someone’s momma. When I said that, I could afford to be selfish.” Zoey responded matter of factly. “plus I was naive then, things change.” Zoey groans helplessly

“Oh I see, it was super meant to be when you were broken up but it’s super clearly over now that you’re pregnant?” Ana snickers

“I know what’s really bothering her but ya’ll ain’t ready for that conversation.” Sky teased in her special Sky way 

“Well then enlighten us sister.” Jazz said, egging her twin on.

“I believe that you’re scared Zoey, I do. I mean who wouldn’t be in this situation? But I don’t think you’re being totally honest about why you’re really scared.”

Zoey looked on, unmoving and silent, waiting for her full dissection. 

“Interesting, tells us more Sky.” Nomi instigates 

“You’re not scared because Luca won’t be a good daddy, on the contrary I think you know damn well, that the Luca we all know will be the best daddy he can be.” 

“True.” Jazz adds,

Sky softens up, “I think you’re scared because you think fighting for him is a loosing battle now that this other chick will be sharing the exact same bond with him as you are.”

“Which in a way makes this decision a selfish one, because if this were completely about the baby, she would know the right thing is to let him be as present as he possibly can” Ana, adds, feeling enlightened

“Luca is neither malicious nor irresponsible..” 

“Really? So what do you call a guy that knocks up two women at the same time?” Zoey broke her silence with a blank stare

“Okay that doesn’t exactly help the argument but you know what I mean ...” Nomi fumbled her way through her words, “multiple preggo baby mamas aside, ...dude is solid and you know it. you constantly pushing him away is more about protecting your heart than keeping the baby protected.”

“Especially since it’s only been 2 days! girl give the fool a minute to digest his new reality.” Jazz concluded.

“What’s most important though is, we’ll support you no matter what sweetie, we just hope that you’re making this decision based on what’s best for the baby and not just disguising your hurt with it.” Ana said gently, hoping she hadn’t offended Zoey

“Yeah,”

“For sure,”

“We gotchu girl,”

The three other girls quickly informed as well...

“you know you’ve always got me.” Eric added,

“Thank you all for that very well thought out and unwarranted psychoanalysis of my very real problems,..” Zoey told them resentfully, mostly because a huge part of her knew they were right, 

“Hey what do I know? I’m dead inside remember?” Sky shrugged, hoping to lighten the mood, 

Zoey wasn’t ready for that conversation as Sky pointed out earlier. “I don’t need you girls for that right now though, I need ya’ll to help me forget Luca freaking Hall and this is not helping.”

“You got it!” Nomi cheerfully announced. “I told you about my curiosity about the Paris weed right?”

“Was thinking more along the lines of the weedless kinda fun ..” Zoey teased, pointing at her belly for emphasis

“Right! I forgot,” Nomi face palmed herself, “I’m the only one that needs one to have fun” Nomi sighed, Zoey’s implications flying right over her head 

“Sure, not because it might be endangering the unborn fetus or anything.” Zoey lowly said, laughing 

“Okay so where are the major spots to party here?” Jazz asks

“I honestly don’t know, but I know just the person,” Zoey moved her vision in Eric’s direction,

“Here we go” he laughed

“he sorta knows everyone that knows everything, loves planning and organizing so much, come on through buddy!”

“Have I ever not?”

“Never!” Zoey winked, he shakes his head....

*************************  
Next evening....

Eric and the girls lined up in front of the bathroom mirror, getting ready for the fashion show event he obtained tickets for, due to the ‘perks’ of his job. 

After the fashion show, they planned to hit ‘Blaze’ to party out the rest of the night. Meanwhile, Zoey felt her phone vibrate for what felt like the billionth time that evening.

...It was Luca, irritated, she yanked her phone angrily off the mantle and put it on silence. Eric gave her a disapproving look, she shrugged it off, completely ignoring him.

”Zoey...” Eric warned

“No Eric! ...” Zoey exclaimed, everyone gave each other a knowing look 

Feeling defeated, Eric raised his arms up in surrender, “fine, have it your way.”

“Lets go people!”

”our ride is here!” Eric informed the crew, they all excitedly step out the door.

*******************************  
Elsewhere....

Luca looked down at his phone screen, feeling helpless at Zoey’s lack of response all day... “what if...?” He thought out loud...

“Nahhh..” he said to himself, refusing to let his mind wonder to dangerous and worrying degree. He stared at the run-down buildings as he passed by, making his way into expression, header toward Cecil’s desk.”

At the immediate sight of him, "You okay?" Cecil asked him, concern present on her face.

He sighed and nodded. "I could use some medicine right now." Luca felt that, dramatically.

"I would take you to a hospital if I could, but you're kind of needed here still.” She said teasingly, knowing his issues were of the emotional kind.

She watched him sigh and close his eyes. She could tell he was in no shape to be working right now. "Look, Luca, I know she’s a lot and I have no idea what’s been happening but I know it’s not good ..." She was referencing to Roxy. 

”she is but ironically, this isn’t about her,”

”so who gave you the fever?” Cecil joked,

“obviously I’m not actually sick but I might as well be. Alot has happened to me this last 48 or so hours and you don’t know the half of it...”

“Okay so, talk to me, ...I don’t like seeing you like this. I miss carefree young sir Hall, let’s get you back to that guy.”

Luca unloaded the happenings of the past 48 or so hours of his life on her, including the full story of his relationship with Zoey...

“...so she basically called me out for being a shit head, and you know what? She’s not wrong.”

“That is a lot, you weren’t kidding. But a shit head?” Cecil knitted her eyebrows, “that doesn’t sound like you”

“Believe me, that’s who I’ve been these last few days... and what does that say about me?”

“It says you’re human, a perfectly flawed one, stop beating yourself up.”

“I just hate how much I’ve fucked up with Zoey, I just can’t seem to get this Shit right with her.”

“Sometimes, there’s beauty in simplicity.”

“What do you mean?”

“It means Hall, all you literally need to do is be honest her,” 

“I told you, I keep fucking it up. Saying all the wrong things and acting even worse...”

“Your heart is already in the right place, let it lead the conversation, you can’t go wrong. That is, if you truly love her as you claim”

“I do, I love her so much.”

“Then open up to her, be thorough, tell her exactly what you feel and your intentions.”

”a sweet old lady would have told me the same thing,” Luca smiled fondly at the memory of old lady Betsy before getting back to the point, “I’ll need to find her,”

“We can’t have you hanging around here all day with a fever, so, I’ll alert the necessary parties that you’re out sick,” giving him a knowing smile

Catching on, he said a silent “thank you” while reaching into his coat pocket for his phone. “I just need one more thing from you really quickly.”

“Anything,” she smiled, ready to oblige him.

****************************

The fashion show went smoothly, the crew enjoyed themselves and were ready for more fun as they lined up at the entrance of ‘Blaze’, one of the most popular spots in the heart of the city... everything was going perfectly as far as Zoey was concerned.

No thoughts or talk of Luca allowed, Zoey was determined to let loose and leave her worries behind. Screw Luca! Her mind was made up...

“Well well, look what the cat dragged in.” Eric said, looking in the opposite direction of their line of vision

“What?” Zoey turned around, puzzled.

“don’t be alarmed, but look to the far left...” Eric said and they all immediately looked left 

Luca stepped out of the car, he motioned for her to come over his way, .....Zoey remained unmoving.

Eric moved close to her ear, “don’t be mad, he called me and I told him where we were.”

“Eric! I told you no freaking Luca Jae Hall!!” Zoey was fuming 

“I know what you said, but he called. He was so scared and worried, you are carrying his baby you know?!” Eric was getting fed up, 

“He called? How did he even get your number?” Zoey asked, puzzled.

“To think of it, I have no idea.” He laughed, “but that’s not important, he was worried crazy that he couldn’t reach you all day. All I know is, you need to quit being stubborn and go talk to your baby daddy!”

“No!” With a frown, Zoey signaled her determination not to move toward him.

helplessly Luca joined his hands together in a pleading manner, hoping to get through this interaction pleasantly.

“Please..?” He mouthed from the distant, his focus on making things right with Zoey distracting him from noticing the girls were in from LA.

Zoey reluctantly agreed, she stepped out of line and walked toward him at a frustratingly slow pace. She was definitely doing that on purpose. 

When she got closer, he offered his hand to pull her further along, away from the crowd and the noise. “Hey.”

“Hi.” She responded in the same way she would if she’d said what to you want? 

He got the message and got to the point. “We need to talk.”

“We really, really don’t have to Luca, we just don’t.”

He looked at her pleadingly, “please Zoey..”

She rolled her eyes, “fine, but Whatever you have to say will have to wait, I’m trying to have fun.”

“I know, I’ll do my best to keep this short.”

“Not only do I not feel like talking here, I hardly want to listen to anything you have to say here either Luca.” She was obviously still peeved with him and he planned to right his wrong.

“Okay, now who’s being redundant?” He said, losing a bit of patience at her lack of cooperation 

She motioned for him to talk... 

“The way this will work is, you listen, I’ll talk.”

“Don’t push it,” 

“Remember when you told me to shush because you had something to say, well this time it’s my turn.”

“Look Luca....”

“Shhhhhhh.... Zoey you know I’ve never really been great at the whole communicating aspect of life, fact, I suck majorly at it.”

“Unfortunate, but true.” She agreed

“But like many things I never knew I needed or knew I was capable of, you make me want to try.” He said, so sincerely she melted ..

“I’m not following ...” she said, confused

“What I mean is, you have somehow always pushed me to be the best version of myself, you make making an effort worth it to me and for that I want to keep proving to you that our future together is worth the investment.”

“A little clearer but I’m still not fully in on your point.”

“That’s why you need to shushhh.. Let me just get it out”

Hesitantly she obliged, “go on...., talk”

“Sometimes in life, people go a lifetime without love, and that’s fine, maybe. But then there are those magical times where you not only find love, but you find it when you’re young and stupid.” He moved closer to her, holding her hands in his.

She gently grabbed on to his fingers with a firm grip of her own, giving him her full undivided attention 

.... “I feel very lucky to have been one of the few that found the love of their lives at such a young age, to recognize it and hope that it’s not too late to keep nourishing it and watch it grow. You’re it for me too, always have been.” He let go of one hand to reach up to her face, caressing it softly. looking intensely into her eyes, he continued...

“... and no, I’m not going to nurse any toxic situations with you, we will handle this the best and healthiest way we can. Not just for the baby, but for US, because I love you so damn much! And that’s why loosing you the first time damn near killed me.” Deep breaths...

She stared lovingly into his eyes, sweetly absorbing everything he was saying. The warmth of his gentle caress making her happy...

...”Last night when I got home and it was just me and my thoughts, I realized I should have fought for you, for us, but I gave up. I’m not going to do that again, not because I think you’re incapable of doing this very well without me, on the contrary, I’m too certain you can. However, you don’t have to because I know for a fact that no matter what happens we can get through it together. As long as we are in the same orbit, we’ll be fine.”

... she felt all the butterflies fluttering happily in her belly... or was that little Baby Johnson-Hall? She smiled outwardly without saying a word.

“we will figure this out together, I promise to be there for you and OUR kid, I am promising you I will do my best by everyone but you will never lack the love and affection you need and deserve from me. I PROMISE!”

“Are you sure?” Her tone so tender and soft,

“It’s maddening how sure I am you’re it for me. I can’t live without you, I don’t want to anymore” He said it with so much conviction,

She felt it, she felt him so strongly, in her soul! is she falling for him even harder? Is that even possible considering how much she already loved him? She was so inlove...

“Girl damn! If you don’t kiss that man can I?”

“Shush!!!..” Zoey whined, “My moment!” 

They all laugh heartily before she turned back happily toward Luca.

“I love you” it seemed so simple but the look in her eyes was anything but. All the love she felt for him shown so brightly through them.

“You have no idea how happy I am to hear that” he sighed sweetly as he moved his face closer to hers for a breathy kiss. Pulling her firmly close to his body, they were glued to each other. 

“I missed you so fucking much!” He said the moment they came up for air

“I know, I’m sorry I was being such a hard ass, just the thought of sharing you with someone else.. Luca I ...” She was still so stressed about that

“And that’s what I want to clear up too, sure I’m not going to desert her and will take care of my responsibilities, but how can you not know what you mean to me?”

“Well it’s hard to be rational through a situation like this,”

“I’m so so sorry you have to deal with my shit like this, just know that if this were a competition, Zoey no one is holding a torch next to you,” 

“Compete with moi? She wishes.” she joked,

“It wouldn’t even be a fair race.” He added with an adoring smile, his hand still caressing her face lovingly. “Stop comparing yourself to anyone in my heart, you and only you are everything, I’ve always known that. I plan to spend the rest of my life showing you how much you mean to me. If you’ll let me.”

“I guess in retrospect we were both too scared to move past that ugly time, I was too scared of coming on too strong because it was all my fault and I didn’t want to loose you again,” Zoey said

“And I was too scared of embracing us again because I can’t deny a part of me was still unsure history wouldn’t repeat itself.” Luca added, 

“I’m so sorry I put us through that,” it was her turn to reach up to caress his face softly. He leaned into her hand...

“After processing everything you said, it finally hit me why I was so bothered by sweet old lady Betsy’s death.”

Zoey moved her hand down his wool trench coat, she leaned into it, holding him tight. The coat wrapped them both in a hug. “Why do you think?”

“I felt so out of control, she was the only person I ever discussed anything with in full details, I talked to her so much about you.” He smiled back at the memory of sweet old lady Betsy feeding him freshly made pastries and yoda level guidance and care..

“I’m happy you had her to help you vent. I just hate that I was the cause of it.” She groaned sadly at the thought, 

“Ironically, she never let me speak ill of you, she just let me heal by embracing how much I loved you, Cecil did the same thing for me today.”

“I knew I liked her for a reason.” Zoey said playfully

“She was so fire. Told me to never let my fears lead first.”

“Yeah, lets not do the scared thing anymore,” She scrunched up her nose playfully, he laughed 

“Yeah, being scared is the opposite of Aflame.” He said, playing along with her, with her still firmly wrapped in his arms and coat, their faces close to each other, he shakes his head in awe, before whispering “I love you so much.” softly

“I know, I love me too, have you seen me?” she barely got through her playful giggle before his lips descended down on hers again. ‘Hmmmm’ they both hummed, finally feeling at home again

“And about Roxy,” Luca began apologetically 

“It’s definitely going to be a challenge, but after everything we’ve put this relationship through, she’s no obstacle we can’t beat, we’ll just have to deal with that one step at a time.”

“You sure? Cause I don’t want to be the cause of anymore stress for you and the precious cargo.” He motioned toward her belly, moving back a bit to press his palm down on it

She held his hand down on her belly with hers, “We got this.” She told him firmly 

“Yeah we gotta go folks, you can continue your candy act in the car.” Eric interrupted them, their friends all gathered close by, ready to leave as their ride pulled up.

Realizing they forgot about their friends, Luca looked up, “I thought you freaks were all partying tonight? I didn’t come to break it up, just to kiss and make up with ma woman, then dip..” Luca said as he leaned down to give her yet another kiss

Zoey giggled into their kiss “Yum..” Zoey whispered tenderly as he looked down at her in complete adoration while giving each other irritatingly sweet kisses

“I’m happy for ya’ll, I am but I didn’t come out tonight to watch Luca and Zoey kiss all night.” Jazz jabbed, “Let’s just say, it’s so lame in there I wanted a refund for my free tickets..” 

“Yikes!...” luca managed to peel his eyes off Zoey momentarily to acknowledge the girls, “By the way, it’s good to see you freaks.” Luca nodded up at them joyfully, as they all smiled back happily in return.

“You’re lucky you redeemed yourself dude, I had every intention of throwing hands the next time I saw you.”

“Wha?” Luca asked, confused.

“She means it, she would have done it across the Atlantic if she could..” Zoey added, enjoying an instigative moment.

“Well, it’s good to see you too Jazz, but there’s no need for that.” They all laughed, he went on to individually acknowledge them all. 

Zoey stayed glued and wrapped up in Luca’s arms, feeling warm and safe under his big long coat as they all packed into the spacious vehicle.

Once they were seated, “You good kid?” Luca asked casually, as she curled back into his arms, 

“Just hold on to me tight,”

He obliged. pulling her in and holding on tight, the rest of the crew sang along to the music, creating their own mini party in the car...

“Perfect.” She leaned in for another sugary kiss. The car drove off...

**Author's Note:**

> *** transitions the story into the characters thoughts.  
> ~~~ transitions one scene into another.


End file.
